


The Other Side

by BlackbatRevolution



Series: The Complete Cranscott AU Saga [5]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Canon Autistic Character, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-12 01:17:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12948180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackbatRevolution/pseuds/BlackbatRevolution
Summary: Billy and Jason get to know each other on another level.





	1. Someone once told me:

This entire fic was beta-ed (brought to life and enriched) by the beautiful, talented and hardworking sorcerer [Deku08](http://deku08.tumblr.com/). They are worth the follow!!!

 

 

Angel Grove is a small town. Depending on how small a town is, they usually have nothing interesting there or exactly one of everything interesting. Angel Grove had one of everything - one juice jar, one arcade, one donut shop, and one high school. If you wanted an alternative, you would have to go to the next town over, Stone Canyon, which was not far so why complain? When the 11th grade history teacher announced that the class was going to have a field trip to a real live voodoo parlor, everyone already knew the place. It was a small shop; it was completely wooden, old, rustic, and seemed entirely hand built by one person during a time there were no readily available cement. It was the only shop in town that looked like this.

Kids have been daring each other to go in and buy something for years now. It was a rite of passage. Each and every single one of them chickened out before it was time to pay the piper. It was a historic site said to have been in Angel Grove for over a hundred years. Before then, it was masqueraded as other business establishments to hide its occult purposes; sometimes a bookshop, sometimes an ice cream parlor, or whatever was needed in Angel Grove at the time. In the modern age where people were more accepting of alternative religions and ancient traditions (or as accepting as they have ever been) it could finally be upfront about its purpose. Welcome to “Sweet and Salt.”

“Excuse me, Miss Nancy, is it?” Billy Cranston said before everyone even had the chance to leave their school bus. He was at the front of the line with a notebook in hand. Though he was a man of science, he had always wondered, _no he hoped_ that there was something more to life than what he knew.

“It’s Aunt Nancy to you, child,” The mature black woman standing next to their teacher answers him. She has a knowing smile on her face as if she had known Billy for years and she was welcoming him home after a long voyage.

Billy tilts his head upwards and points at the old, carved, wooden sign that must have been twenty years old, if not older. “Why is your shop named Sweet and Salt?”

“Well, my grandma used to always say that whether its obeah, voodoo, hoodoo, or any other black magic there is always a prize and a price. In her Jamaican dialect she would say ‘It’ll always sweet yah and salt yah.’ You always win something and lose something. There is nothing you can do about that,” She enlightened him, still smiling. His interest delighted her.

Billy grimaced and scribbled some information down onto his notepad. “Then why would anyone practice it if it always has a bittersweet end result?” He questions unapologetically, she does not seem to be affronted by his straightforwardness.

She smirks. Aunt Nancy actually smirks and it gives Billy chills. He could be scared of her or maybe it was the dark cloudy sky outside adding to the eerie aura of the shop with its walls lined with animal skeletons, shrunken heads, crude off putting carved statues, and bottles of potions. “Well people who have been salt their entire lives crave some sweet and will do whatever it takes to get it.”

She paused abruptly.

She looks out at the dark cloudy sky and narrows her eyes at it. It was going to rain soon. Muttering to herself, she got a small carved head charm from under the glass case and hung it on the door post while Billy watched and took note. “And people who have had it good their entire life always need to be taught a lesson and that is where obeah comes in. It’s a balancing act, boy. Our people needed it,” She concluded, the suspicious smile returning to her face.

“Hey, boy, I said no touching!” She yells across the room at Colt Wallace who was fiddling with a bowl of black beads with eyes drawn on them.

“But, Aunt Nancy!” He whined, having been caught trying to stuff some in his pocket.

“You don’t get to call me that, white child!” The little woman says with both her hands on her waist and a scowl on her face.

Billy giggled a little too loudly. When he looked over, he saw Colt glaring at him. _Oh no_. Everyone knows Colt hates being laughed at. This was going to come back to bite Billy in the ass some way or another.

Mr. Trueheart groaned and rolled his eyes. “Colt, we had a talk on the bus about respecting other people’s culture and religion! Don’t touch! Look, listen, and take pictures and notes. You will be required to do a report on your findings so stop mucking about,” He lectured. Mr. David Trueheart was their new substitute history teacher until Mr. Stewart comes back. If anyone knew anything about insensitive white kids and sacred objects, it was him.

Billy was not surprised only he could manage to convince ‘Aunt Nancy’ to host this field trip. She was not exactly a sociable person or a model citizen. She was recluse and a proud one at that. He doubts she ever leaves this store.

Billy spent the rest of the day avoiding Colt as much as possible and taking notes with his project partner and new friend Trini. Zack (also a very recent friend) should have been their third party member but his mom was not feeling well so he decided to skip school to take care of her. They just decided to do his share of the work and give him credit anyway.

While Billy jotted down notes and Trini just wandered around taking pictures, a particular set of carved statues caught Billy’s eyes. They were given better treatment than the other artifacts and talismans in the parlor. They had their own individual compartment, rested on plush pillows, and had flat bowls in front of each. Inside the bowls were many different things, one bowl in front of statue had a branch of grapes, the bowl in front of another statue had a shiny gold earring in it and so on.

These were deities Billy realized. These were gods and the items inside the bowls were offerings. Each god preferred to be appeased in their own way. How interesting.

Just as Billy was about to take note of this, someone knocked their shoulder into his, causing him to drop his notebook and pens. It was Hawkeye, the school’s star linebacker. He had collided with Billy and did not care to look back at the damage he caused, as if Billy was invisible. Wasn’t that the kicker. To everyone at school he was either a freak or invisible. Sometimes he wondered which was worse.

Kneeling down, he and Trini gather his loose papers, notepad, and pens. “God, guys like that are just the scum of the earth,” She hissed, glaring at the group of football players. They were the last people to come off the bus, Hawkeye and his crew of Neanderthals or that’s what Trini calls them. Zack calls them Dick-holes (a combination of dickhead and assholes). Zack was a linguist first and foremost.

“It could have been an accident, Trini,” Billy said always looking at the bright side. “Maybe he just didn’t see me.”

“Yeah right,” Trini groaned, collecting the last of the papers. “Shouldn’t he have graduated already? Isn’t he like nineteen or something?”

“I heard he’s short a few credits…” Billy stopped mid sentence, dropped back to the floor and began frantically searching for something. “Trini, I can’t find it!”

She was already back searching on the floor before he even could ask for her help. He was panicking so this must be serious. “What can’t you find, B?!?!”

“My mechanical pencil with the little blue triceratops on it,” Billy said, voice trembling. He was so scared, “It’s the one my dad gave me.” For seven years, he took that pencil everywhere with him and could not bear to lose it. It would be like losing his dad all over again.

Taking a glance into Billy’s terrified brown eyes, she knew the pencil’s true sentimental value. Knowing that filled Trini with urgency, searching on the floor just as frantically as Billy was.

“Are you looking for this?” Billy and Trini glanced up to see Angel Grove’s star quarterback Jason Scott hovering above them with Billy’s pencil in his hands.

“My pencil!” Springing up to his feet, Billy snatched his pencil from Jason’s hand with the swiftness of a martial artist. Jason raised his eyebrows at his eagerness to have his measly pencil back. It made him want to laugh. Having inspected the mechanical pencil for damage and deeming it intact, Billy turns to Jason and smiles. “Thanks for that, Jason Scott.”

“No problem, it kind of just landed at my feet,” Jason explained. He smiled at Billy, a kind charming smile that just made him look so dashing, _princely_ even.

Billy cannot remember a single instance that he has seen Jason Scott be mean to anyone or even heard a rumor that he was a bully. He was just a good dude who hung with the popular crowd. Billy nudged Trini, who rolled her eyes. This was his way of saying, “see not all of them are bad.” Trini still remained on guard while Jason was in their presence. Her experience with boys like him has taught her better.

Jason nodded and turned to leave, but as he did, Billy called out to him.

 _Maybe if I was friends with a guy like Jason, I would not be bullied and people might actually notice me_ , Billy thought.  “Umm, Jason! Would you want to hang out with us? We could use some help since our third group member, Zack, ain't here.”

Trini’s eyebrows raised as the words came out of Billy’s mouth. She did not agree to this. Shouldn’t she have been consulted on this decision?

“…Billy, right?” Jason asked. He wouldn’t lie he just heard Billy’s little friend Dee-Dee call his name a minute ago. He has never really even seen or interacted with this guy before. In his defense, Angel Grove High had a large student body, but the kid sure did look thrilled to be talking to him.

Billy’s smile widened even more. _Jason Scott knows who I am!_ He screamed internally.  “Yeah, William Cranston but everyone calls me Billy. You can call me Billy too if you want,” Billy said with unrestrained excitement not even trying to act cool, though he wasn’t sure he could.

“Right…” Jason could not help but admire Billy’s cute smile and boldness. People tend to be well aware the social hierarchy at school and strictly adhere it. Here was this textbook nerd asking him to hang out. How endearing. “Well, I’m paired with Damo and Hawkeye. I can’t just abandon them. Sorry.”

“Oh yeah it’s okay,” Billy said, his genuine smile becoming forced. He was disappointed but at least Jason gave him a good excuse instead of brushing him off or insulting him.

The disappointed expression on Billy’s sweet face tugged at Jason’s heartstrings. “I mean maybe we can hang out another time,” he offered in consolation. He was not sure how honest he was being, what would he and Billy Cranston even do together? They were way too different.

“Yes. I’m free whenever you want to!” Billy beamed. The light in his eyes and the pep in his voice had returned. Jason’s vague offer really did boost his spirits.

Jason smiled as he waved Billy off. It made him feel warm inside to know he made this stranger happy for whatever reason. “ _Cool_ …see you around.”

Trini takes one glance up at Billy’s goofy smiling and shakes her head. She knew that look. It was bad news. It was the same look Zack had on his face when the Stone Canyon’s wrestling team captain Tommy Oliver slammed him onto the mat during the championship. It was brutal but Zack walked away smiling like he had hung the moon. It was pathetic and she could never relate.

To Trini’s chagrin, Billy did not take his eyes off Jason as he walked back to his group of Neanderthal friends. The rest of the field trip he would take longing glances at him in between taking notes. He was smitten.

Jason did not seem to notice the extra attention he was getting from across the room. He was preoccupied hanging on Hawkeye’s every word. “You see that one, the ugly looking troll motherfucking with the horns and the big open mouth? I want it,” Hawkeye said, eyeing the carved wooden statue. It had an egg in its offering plate; its mouth was just the right size to slip the egg in. 

“Then buy it,” Jason said. Hawkeye was always coming up with ridiculous schemes, that were fun a lot of times and stupid the other times. Hell, even his fun stunts were stupid and seemed to never get him in trouble, but they always got Jason’s dad up his ass about being reckless.

“I would, believe me, but the witch said only the stuff behind glass is for sale. Everything else is her personal stuff,” Hawkeye explains, pouting. His pout turned into a sly smirk when Jason caught his drift.

“Don’t tell me you plan on stealing that! You’ll get expelled if you’re caught!” Jason whispered his warning. Mr. Trueheart was not far from their group. He may be a sub but he was adept. He knew enough to stay close to and keep an eye on the troublemakers.

“No, I’m not gonna steal it, that’s crazy!” Hawkeye protested, recklessly too loud. For a moment a relief washed over Jason. “ _You’re gonna steal it for me_.”

Jason’s eyes widen. “Why me!? Why not Damo?”

“First of all Damo is an idiot!” Hawkeye declared gesturing over to Damo, who was laughing and pointing at a well endowed fertility statue. “Second of all, you’re still technically a minor, I’m not. If you get caught, you’ll just get a slap on the wrist.”

Jason was still conflicted. Hawk had a point. There would not be any serious repercussion if he got caught and above all Damo was indeed an idiot. “You’re fast, really fast, and faster than any of us could ever be. If anyone’s getting away with it, _it’s you_ ,” He flattered, practically whispering it into Jason’s ears.

His cool breath tickled Jason’s neck and sent shivers running up his spine, making it hard for Jason to focus on anything else, “Hawk, I don’t…”

“Hey, do this and I’ll make it up to you big time, tomorrow night at _my party_ ,” Hawkeye promised, his voice lowered and his tone becoming subtly seductive. He was so persuasive when he wanted to be.

“Whatever I want?” Jason was dubious of this promise. Hawk had started Amanda Clark, _again_ and hasn’t been giving Jason any attention since then.

Hawk nodded and smirked, pulling away from Jason before anyone in the room noticed how close they were. It hurt Jason’s feelings when he pulled away so abruptly. He knows it’s ridiculous to feel this way because he didn’t want people knowing about their ‘thing’ either but it still hurts.

“Fine, I’ll get you your little, ugly statue,” He reluctantly agrees, taking one last glance at Hawkeye’s signature smirk that could make him do anyway he asked. It was that powerful. Jason did not know just how powerful until he was streaking naked across football field just because Hawkeye dared him to while flashing that damn lopsided smirk.

Stealthily, Jason walks over to the dusty redwood shelf that had the statue Hawkeye wanted on it. He had his notebook out to make it look like he was examining or sketching the figure. Glancing around the room, he noticed no one was paying attention to him, everyone was focused on some weird artifact of their own.

His eyes met with the statue’s big deep dug out eyes holes, and suddenly he knew why Hawkeye wanted it. It was not just uglier than the others, it was strangely alluring. It was calling to him in a sense. He couldn’t hear it but he could feel it.

It was enthralling.

Jason reached for the wooden statue, snatched it down from its little altar with his legendary swiftness, the egg in its plate wobbled but thankfully stayed in place. He started walking back to his group at brisk pace. This place doesn’t come across as the type of place to have cameras or anything as state of the art and luckily no one saw him. Or so he thought.

Before he can cross the room, a hand reached out and grasped his hand with the statue in it. Petrified, his heart almost leaped out of his chest. He thought Mr. Trueheart had caught him or worse Miss Nancy until he heard a warning, “Jason, put it back right now! You can’t just take that!”

It was just Billy Cranston, Jason’s new nerd buddy. That was better somehow. Maybe he can use this to his advantage. He wasn’t caught yet. He wasn’t out of the game.

Jason spun around to face Billy, whose grip on his hand was still firm. He was a lot stronger than he looked. “Billy, it’s just a wooden piece of crap. They’ll carve another one,” Jason reasoned, trying to pull his hand free from Billy’s grasp.

“To you it’s just a carved statue but to Aunt Nancy it’s a god!” Billy whispered back, voice sharp and authoritative. As if on cue the thunder outside got louder, covering up the noise of Billy and Jason’s struggle over the statue. It was clear in Billy’s eyes that he was a little ashamed of Jason, but his reluctance to tell the teacher or the store owner showed he did not want Jason getting into trouble. Jason reasoned there was still hope to convince him.

Instead of dragging his hand away from Billy, he pulled the taller boy closer. He’s glad no one was looking their way. They were suspiciously close. “Let me take the statue and we can…grab a bite at Ernie’s Juice Bar after this? We’re friends right, _buddy_?” He proposed with his dashing smile. If this dude was as desperate to be his friend as he made it seem, he would take the bait Jason thought.

“Umm…” For the small moment Billy’s grip on the statue faltered. He looked conflicted, until he glanced behind him and saw Miss Nancy laughing and talking with Mr. Trueheart and a group of students. Billy would be consumed with guilt if he ever did that. Yes, he wanted to hang out with Jason Scott and all of his cool friends but not at the price of his conscience. “No, I won’t let you take it!” He said through gritted teeth, tightening his grip on the statue.

Jason rolled his eyes at Billy’s loyalty and integrity at such an inconvenient time. Who was this honorable in real life anyway, playing hero for a fucking piece of driftwood? Frustrated, Jason gripped his end of the statue and yanked it to himself. He did not know why but he was filled with anger and it coursed through him like the lightning outside. “Give it to me!” 

“Why do you want it so bad anyway?!” Billy asked so taken aback by his persistence. He had never imagined Jason Scott would be just some petty thief causing trouble for no reason. There must be some logical reason why he wanted it or at least that is what Billy hoped.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Jason practically growls at him. He doesn’t even understand why he was doing this either. Yeah, he was doing this for Hawkeye but why? What has he done to earn Jason’s blind obedience?

The statue ran hot on Jason’s end and cold on Billy’s end. Just as Jason’s blood was boiling, Billy’s was freezing over.  Billy was petrified. Shivers ran up his spine. In that moment he attributed it to oncoming storm outside the shop but later he would know better.  “No, Jason!”

This was getting tiring and annoying. Jason was stronger and he knew it. He was just trying not to get caught. Throwing the subtlety of their tug of war out of the window, Jason stopped holding back and asserted his strength, grasping the statue with both his hands and yanking it away from Billy.

In a last ditch, futile effort, Billy held on the statue and as a result was slammed into the shelf.

The shelf rattled and shook. Billy fell flat on his behind. The egg fell and cracked on the floor, yoke splattering on the polished wooden floor between Jason and Billy.

At the exact same time lightning crackled loud as if the sky was exploding.

The lights inside flicked off for half a second. The room was pitch black.

Several students yelped a shriek while the others released anxious murmurs. They were afraid of the dark, the violent storming winds outside, and the sinister energy that now engulfed the room.

When the lights flicked back on, everyone froze. Every single living being froze at the sight of Jason holding onto the statue and Billy on the floor.  

“What are you doing?!” Aunt Nancy shouted racing over to Billy and Jason. Jason was petrified, staring at the statue in his open hand. Billy was sitting on ground, looking up at Jason while he held the statue. She stood in between them, her hands on hers hips. “You were repeatedly told by your teacher and myself not to touch any of my artifacts, yet here you are a God in hand. How disrespectful!” 

“I---I---”

“No time for excuses, boy,” She snatching the statue from Jason’s grasp. She inspected the wood statue, tracing her fingers over the finger nail indentations on both ends and then glanced down at Billy’s terrified expression. It was as if she was looking through him, seeing his very soul. “You touched it too, boy? And here I thought you were different.”

“B-But, Aunt Nancy, I was—”

“It’s _Miss_ Nancy to you, child,” The shopkeeper interrupted Billy’s frantic babbling. Her disappointment was made clear. The class uttered a group, “Ooooh,” as kids always did when anyone got in trouble.

Billy pouted, his gaze falling to the cracked egg at the lady’s feet. Jason saw the sadness in Billy’s eyes just before his gaze casted downward and was overcome with guilt. He hadn’t meant to put Billy in any trouble. A guy like Billy didn’t deserve to be treated like this. 

Mr. Trueheart walked over to the frustrated shopkeeper resting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry,” He apologized genuinely. Jason was so confused. It’s not as if he got away with the statue and the only thing that was destroyed a damn egg. Why did their teacher and that lady act like they had broken a priceless Faberge egg or something?

“David, I think it’s time for your class to leave,” Miss Nancy sighed. She rested the statue of the god back on its pillow and sunk to her knees to pick up the broken egg shells. It was a sad sight to the two boys involved but all the other kids had already began chatting amongst themselves.

“Yeah, Nance, I think you’re right. Again I’m so sorry,” Mr. Trueheart agreed not wanting to overstep the boundaries of their friendship. Hands crossed over his chest as he turned to Billy and Jason, glowering at them. “These two will have detention for a month or _more_.”

“Please don’t do that, David. I don’t believe in punishing children twice,” Nancy stated as she used her apron to wipe up the egg yolk off of the wooden floor.

“Twice?” The teacher asked, eyebrows rising.

“Yes, you don’t need to punish them. Actually, I will be offended if you do. I’m sure they will be _dealt with_ because as the age old proverb says……” She said as she stood up from the floor. “Those who don’t listen will _feel.”_

Jason had a similar reaction to his teacher’s skepticism while Billy jumped up off the floor skittishly looking around for his ‘punishment’. His hands roamed over his body checking for any voodoo doll pinpricks. He found none but still felt a chilling sensation running up his spine.

Mr. Trueheart began to usher the boys out by their shoulders. “We have overstayed our welcome. Say goodbye to Miss Nancy, class.”

The rest of students grumbled and groaned weak goodbyes as they filed out of the shop. Trini walked a little slower so that she could keep close to Billy. As he was being carted out, Billy glanced over Mr. Trueheart’s shoulders and saw Miss Nancy smile an ominous smile. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes as she waved goodbye to Billy.

Billy turned around fast, a horrified look in his eyes. “Billy, what’s up? I take one little trip to the bathroom and come back and all hell broke loose?” Trini interrogated him as they piled into the bus.

“I don’t even know!” Billy shrieked, throwing his hands up in the air.  “All I know is its Jason Scott fault!” He added, pointing to Jason disappearing into the back of school bus like he didn’t personally just ruin their whole field trip and got Billy in trouble.

“Told you. A guy like that is just _trouble_.” Trini said taking her seat next to Billy’s in the bus. “You should avoid his type at all cost.”

Billy soaked in Trini’s warnings, turning around in the bus to look back at Jason. There he was with his Neanderthal friends laughing and joking around as if he didn’t try to steal a deity and probably got their whole class banned from the Sweet and Salt for life.

Billy tried to muster up a glare at Jason’s head, hoping Jason could feel the daggers he was sending his way. He didn’t want to actually hurt him, but maybe he could just give him a headache. Squinting hard, he glared at Jason, but to his dismay, Jason felt his eyes on him and looked up at Billy, directly into his eyes.

Their eyes connected in a lengthy gaze. Energy passed between the two, coursing electricity similar to what they had felt in the shop. Billy’s blood ran cold again and Jason’s ran hot. Both of them were caught in the same trance they had been in earlier but this time was different. Billy could feel Jason’s remorse and an underling cry for understanding, for someone to know the real him. Jason could feel Billy calling out for him, for others as well but especially for Jason to get to know him and want to be around him despite what they might think of him. It was as if they were in each other’s heads.

“What are you looking at?” Hawkeye said tapping Jason on his shoulders, breaking the near telepathic connections between Billy and Jason.

Jason flinched, before looking at Hawkeye, sinking lower into his seat. “Nothing… just thinking.”

When Hawkeye followed Jason’s gaze to Billy Cranston, he glared at him, baring his teeth in a menacing way. Startled, Billy’s head spun around and he sunk into his seat, as if hiding from the senior known for having a violent streak.

“Yeah, trouble…” Billy gulped; he was trembling ever so slightly. “I promise to avoid Jason Scott at all cost!”  He declared a little too loudly, causing Trini to shake her head and Mr. Trueheart to exhale a weary sigh. Several other people in the front seat laughed. It certainly did not help his reputation of being a “weirdo”.

“Good boy.” Trini chuckled, patting him on his shoulders to settle him. “You’ll be better for it. And can you believe who I saw in the bathroom? Kimberly Ann Hart----”

Billy listened to her complain about some interesting bathroom incident involving her archenemy and a surprise “shower”. But it was more of half listening; he heard her but didn’t really absorb anything she was saying. He was thinking about Jason and had a strong feeling Jason was thinking about him too. He just knew it somehow.

As expected, the rest of the day was uneventful. The school day was cut an hour short and everyone was sent home, which was a good thing because as soon as Billy got off the bus, it started raining hard as if the storm had followed him home from the shop and waited until he was inside to begin storming.

“Mom, I’m home!” Billy shouted as he as enters his house.

“You’re home early. I haven’t even started dinner yet,” Mrs. Cranston answers from the living room. It was her day off so she spent it how she usually did - catching up on her soap operas and daytime talk shows. “There’s some fruit snacks in the pantry and lemonade in the fridge. Is that enough for you or do you want me to whip up some tuna fish sandwiches until diner is ready?”

“I’m not really hungry, mom. Might skip dinner. I’ll be in my room working on some stuff,”  Billy said, walking into the kitchen to grabbing the family sized box of Welch’s fruit snacks and a can of Minute Maid lemonade, his favorite snack when inventing. But before he could scamper off downstairs to his basement/room, his mother intercepted him out of nowhere.

“What’s wrong, honey? Are you sick? Why aren’t you hungry?” She asked with a concerned expression on her face, her hand already feeling his forehead for a temperature.

“I’m fine, mom. The field trip today was just a little overwhelming. I just don’t have much of an appetite,” Billy explained, careful not to lie because he was really bad at lying to people, especially his mom. Today’s field trip was overwhelming and he didn’t feel like eating dinner with her and having to talk about his strange day and even stranger feelings.

She eyed the entire family sized box of fruit snacks in his hand with doubt in her eyes. “Are you sure? You only avoid dinner when something is up. You’re not being bullied again are you?” She was worried and fiercely protective. He hasn’t been his quiet since he came home bruised and she had to go to school and raise all hell. If it was happening again, she would burst a blood vessel. He did not want to worry her.

“Mom, I’m fine,” He reiterated placing a small kiss on her cheek, adding a smile for effect. “We can eat breakfast together tomorrow.”

His sweet smile just melted her resolve so she conceded. She gave up her investigation. If something was up he would tell her eventually. “Promise?”

“Promise.” He said, walking past her before she could see his face. He was lying. Things were not fine, they were weird. Well, things were always weird with him but this time it was different. It was weird feelings he had never experienced before.

He just wanted to be alone with his thoughts of _Jason Scott_.

\---

While Billy had gone straight home after being dropped off at the bus stop, Jason had gone everywhere with his friends but home. He didn’t care that it was raining. The less time he spent with his family the better. So after a night of loitering at a nearly empty bowling alley and the adjacent Ernie’s Juice Bar, he finally decided to go home at eleven o’clock.

“What are you doing home this late?” Sam Scott always sounded like a cop talking to a dirty lowlife when he talked to his own son. Everything sounded like an interrogation or an accusation. It didn’t matter what Jason would say because he was always guilty in his father’s eyes.

“Practice ran late, so I crashed at a friend’s house until the storm cooled down,” Jason lied. So this time he was guilty, but it never mattered if he was or not. When it came to his dad, he was always guilty until proven innocent.

“ _You were at practice_. Funny because your coach called and said practice was cancelled and school even let out an hour early before the rain,” He revealed, disproving his son’s excuse with a cold grimace on his face.

Jason rolled his eyes and tried to ignore him as he tried to make his way up the stairs to his room, but his dad blocked his path at the foot of the stairs with his hands crossed over his chest in indignation. “So I hung out with a few friends for a few hours. What’s the big deal?” Jason admitted with sincerity this time. He just wanted to go to his room.

“After the series of reckless stunts you pulled, I told you that you were grounded. School, football practice, and home are the only places you’re allowed to be,” His father declared with the strict tone of voice of a tyrant.

“What am I some kind of prisoner?” Jason asked. He already knew the answer.

Mr. Scott snorted and rolled his eyes. In that moment, Jason saw himself in his dad and reeled backwards. He looked so much like him sometimes it was sickening. “If you don’t stop fucking around with those numbskull friends of yours, you’ll wind up in prison or worse! I’m trying to protect your future!” He shouted unnecessarily, raising the tension in the already tense room.

“From a damn prank? Get over yourself,” Jason hissed, pushing pass his father to get to the stairs. He didn’t have to physically move him but some part of him hoped his father would take action and stop running his mouth.

“What did you say to me?!” Jason’s dad asks rhetorically. At this point he was just baiting Jason to be disrespectful. He wanted a fight, maybe even a physical one.

Jason froze on the steps, turned around to face his father, and enunciated oh so very slowly what he had said. “I said Get. Over. Yourself. Old man.”

Sam Scott inhaled a sharp breath through his nose and exhaled just as quickly, like a bull would before he charged at someone. Jason would admit some primitive instinctive part of him wanted to fight his father but his dad refused to give him what he wanted and simmered down a moment later. “TO YOUR ROOM NOW,” He ordered through gritted teeth, waving a tight clenched fist.

“That’s where I was headed anyway!”  Jason spat back as he marched in the stairs, furious.

Before Jason knew it, his mother was behind them, trying to play peacemaker by changing the subject. “Jason, I’ll bring up your dinner in a minute…”

He halted in some vague show of respect for her, but that was all ruined when his dad opened his big fat mouth again. “No you won’t, Bev. If he wants dinner, he comes down stairs and apologizes to both of us for his lousy attitude. We can’t reward this behavior,” He said playing the part of household dictator.

“Sam, you can’t do that!”

“Watch me!”

 _That’s it!_ , Jason screamed mentally. He was not staying in the same room with this man one second longer. It would give him a fucking aneurysm. He stomped his way up the wooden staircase to his room, his fortress of solitude.

Jason slammed the door to his bedroom but could still hear his parents shouting at each other. He took off his damp shirt and collapsed onto the bed, covering his head with his pillow to block out the noise. There was no way in hell he was going to eat dinner with them. He was glad he grabbed a burger at Ernie’s with the team after he got off the bus. To sit at the table and pretend to be a perfect suburban, nuclear family made him sick.

Every second of his home life was spent arguing. His dad would pick a fight with him for breathing too loudly or some bullshit and his mom would confront his dad for being too harsh on him. If it got real bad, Pearl would burst out crying and he would have to go spend the whole night comforting her until she went to sleep. It was all a mess, a steaming pile of shit, so why pretend it wasn’t?

For whatever reason, his mind kept reliving what had happened today in the shop in a vain attempt to calm him down. He could not stop thinking about Billy Cranston, which bothered him. Yes, he had realized that he was _different_ from the other guys on the football team, but he refused to obsess over an awkward nerd. It wasn’t as if they shared a tender moment and bonded over a common interest. He just returned the boy’s pencil, a tug a war over a creepy statue, and that was it. Between those two insignificant incidents something peculiar happened and it causes him to become hyper aware of Billy Cranston, but after a wild party and a quick fuck, he’ll be back to not knowing who Billy Cranston is. End of story.

UGH! Knowing this, Jason still could not get him out of his head. Little did he know, Billy was doing the exact same thing. Both boys were lying in bed at 11:59 p.m., staring at the ceiling and thinking about each other. Jason could hear his parents fighting downstairs and Billy could hear his mother talking on the phone with her best friend and laughing at the Tonight Show upstairs.

They had totally different lives, but they both had one thing in common: the two boys wondered what the other’s life was like and if the grass really was greener.

“I wonder what it would be like to be _Jason Scott_ ,” Billy wondered.

“I wonder what it would be like to be… _him,_ ” Jason echoed from an entirely different neighborhood several kilometers away.

In union, they released a yawn and fell asleep to the sound of raindrops pitter pattering on the roof.  
  
  
  
 


	2. The grass is much greener

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today is going to be interesting.

The morning light shined in on Billy through his open window. He opened his eyes, reeling away from the light when it hit his bare eyeball. It was searing his already sensitive flesh. He rolled over to hide his face from the light but subsequently fell off of the bed. He groaned aloud when his body fell onto the floor with a loud thud. It hurt. A migraine suddenly started to attack his head as he recollected what had just happened. His bed was nowhere near the window, so why was there so much light in his basement room? And he hasn’t fallen off of his bed in years. He pushed it up against the wall to prevent such a thing. Something strange was going on today.

Sitting up, he took inventory of his surroundings and was astounded. He was in a small, unfamiliar bedroom. The walls were covered with football posters and pictures instead of video game posters and architecture blueprints like his own room. The very few desks and shelves in the room were lined with trophies, picture frames, and rock band memorabilia instead of his large spacious shelves that hosted his action figures, tools, and priceless inventions. This was not his room. Where was he?

A single red picture frame caught his attention on the bedside table. He picked it up and held it closer to his face, his vision still blurry from just waking up. After rubbing his eyes, his vision cleared up and he was able to see the picture clearly. It was a picture of _Jason Scott_ , maybe two years younger, playing on the beach with a much younger girl with similar dirty blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. He looks so happy (completely nothing like his current self) while teaching her to swim. She looks just as ecstatic as he is.

It was a beautiful picture. But the question still stands, where the hell was he? Why was there a picture of Jason Scott here? Had he been kidnapped by a Jason Scott fan girl? Billy almost screams as panic sets in. He grips the picture frame tight out of frustration. His eyes spots something strange on the edge of the frame; pink pale fingers instead of his dark, umber ones gripping the red frame. Testing his theory he gripped the frame tighter again and the fingers move. _His_ fingers moved. The pale pink fingers holding frame were his.

He let out a high pitched yelp and dropped the picture frame. Thankfully, glass didn’t crack but Billy was still freaked out. He glanced down at his body and it didn’t recognize it. He was naked from the waist up, his uncovered body pale and red tinted. He had sizeable biceps and washboard abs that he only saw on men in action movies or on professional athletes.

He had to be dreaming. No matter how real this felt, there were no other explanations for being in a completely different body in an unrecognizable place. Frantically, he scoured the room for more clues or just a mirror but found none. Whoever’s room this was, they didn’t feel the need to look in a mirror that often, which made sense because they were definitely _hot_.

Billy opened the door to the bedroom and walked outside to meet a narrow hall. There were a few picture frames in the hallway, of the same little blonde white girl and now two older people, her parents Billy guessed. He saw an open door and peeked in. It was a small bathroom and he lit up with excitement. Where there was a bathroom, there was a mirror.

He practically ran inside and stared head on into the mirror in front of him. What he saw was an utter shock. He saw _Jason Scott_. In the mirror where he stood, Billy Cranston saw himself but for some reason, as Jason Scott, a shirtless, scared-looking Jason but Jason Scott nonetheless. Billy was in Jason’s body or was at least dreaming he was.

He ran his hand through his silky blonde hair, down his flushed cheeks, and over his small plump red lips. He felt every touch. This was more than a dream. It was like a very vivid simulation. Billy cannot remember working on any virtual reality equipment or something. This wasn’t his doing. It was something far more powerful and illogical.

He started to hyperventilate slightly. He leaned against the sink and clutched his chest. He was seconds from having a panic attack, a very justified one. What the heck was going on and why was it happening to him?

Without noticing, his hand had wandered down his wide, defined chest, to play with the little curly blonde hair around his nipples and on his stomach. It was all absent minded fondling, but when Billy saw himself in the mirror, saw what he was doing, He withdrew his hand quickly, slipping them into his sweatpants pockets for safe keeping. This was not his body and it could be misconstrued as perverted (the rules of consent during a dream, hallucination, or virtual simulation was not something he had been made privy to).

Not a second later, one of his hands pressed against something Billy was a hundred percent sure was not his thigh or Jason’s thigh in this case. He pulled his hands out of his pockets and stretched them in front of himself; even if he wanted to, he refused to violate Jason’s personal space for his own curiosity. It was hard to keep your hands to yourself when you were technically in someone else’s body.

Billy sat on the toilet seat and contemplated how he ended up in his situation, going over every detail of the night before. The unknown and uncertainty of the situation filled with an anxiety and excitement he could not explain. He was so worried and so scared of what was happening to his real body, if he could ever get it back, and where was the real Jason Scott. But at the same time, he was completely enraptured by this scientific marvel. If only he knew how it happened.

“So I fiddled with the rocket I was building for a few hours, texted in the group chat with Trini and Zack, and watched a few episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine before heading to bed. I did nothing new at all,” Billy pondered aloud, still unnerved by the fact it was Jason’s voice he was hearing, but he continued speaking to himself aloud. He stayed in the bathroom like this for a few minutes without realizing the bathroom door was opening as he spoke. “What caused this? Why Jason? Maybe if I go along with whatever this is I’ll get answers. Maybe Trini or Zack can help me. I need to go to school--”

In front of him stood a disgruntled, middle aged, white man wearing a robe. “What are you doing in the bathroom this early?” He asked, with the same cold, blue eyes Jason had but with a judgmental look to them. It scared Billy.

“I umm I,” Billy bolted to his feet, rambling. This was obviously Jason’s dad. Unlike Billy, he knew Jason, so Billy had to be careful how he responded. If he acted very un-Jason like, his dad would notice and it might be a problem to explain the near fantastical situation. He also did not want to get Jason in trouble when he got back into his body because that would just be _mean_. “I was…I umm…”

“You know the bathroom schedule! Do you want to make me late for work? Huh?” Jason’s dad erupted in sudden anger as if Billy had committed some great injustice against him or maybe Jason had just before Billy had taken over his body. “You sabotage me, you sabotage yourself, okay? I pay the bills around here.”

Billy froze; he always did when confronted because he was terrified but this was Jason. It seems Jason would respond confidently or crassly, but Billy wanted to be polite because this was a stranger and Billy Cranston knew better than to disrespect parents (but he was so frightened). “No, of course not sir? Sorry, sir!”

“Sir?” Mr. Scott was in shock. “…Did you just say _sorry_?” He asked as if the idea of Jason being polite and remorseful was a rarity.

“I’m sorry… _dad_ … yeah dad. I’ll go wait for my turn somewhere else.” Billy stuttered out, not knowing how to act. He had no idea what Jason’s family dynamic was like normally and did not want to give himself away.

Mr. Scott allowed Billy to walk past him, still taken aback by his strange behavior, but it wasn’t behavior he could criticize or punish, so he did not push the matter.  “I think your mother is making breakfast. Go eat. You didn’t eat dinner last night so this is not a request,” He unnecessarily commanded.

Billy shook his head in agreement and the angry, white man calmed down completely. There was concern in his eyes for his son. His whole demeanor softened as Billy did as he was told. He went back into Jason’s bedroom, threw on a t-shirt and went downstairs to find the kitchen. His stomach had begun to grumble, confirming this was a good decision no matter how confused he was.

As he walked downstairs and entered a small dining area beside the kitchen, he heard a woman’s voice. “Jason, Pearl is sick so I wasn’t able to make breakfast. I know I promised. Go pick up breakfast at Krispy Kremes or maybe try some of Pearl’s cereal. Sorry. I know it’s the fourth day in a row but sorry.” 

“It’s no problem…. mom,” Billy guessed she had to be Jason’s mom. She was the same blonde lady he saw in the frame pictures in the hallway and Pearl must be the little girl Jason looked so happy to be with. “Captain Crunch is my favorite!” He announced excitedly when he saw the box of sugary cereal next to a clean bowl and spoon.

“It is?” Jason’s mom asked, pushing her head through the kitchen door. “You’ve never really commented on this stuff anymore. Now that I know I can make sure to pick you up a box at the supermarket.” There was a delighted, slightly shocked smile on her face. All he said was he liked Captain Crunch, a simple honest statement for Billy Cranston but for Jason it must have been weird to say something so trivial. _Did Jason ever talk to his family about anything?_ Billy wondered.

Billy fixed himself his bowl of Captain Crunch and sat down at the dining table. Sure the house was different, very different and the family dynamics made him really miss his mom, but he liked that he was finally able to do at least one thing from his normal routine which gave him some comfort.

“You’re going to eat with us at the table?” She asked as she walked into the dining area, Jason’s little sister attached to her side. There was shock still apparent in her voice.

“Yes, I alwa----I mean, I can eat somewhere else if you want me to?” He wanted to answer ‘of course, its breakfast. I always eat breakfast with my mom,’ but then quickly remembered that not all families ate breakfast and dinner together. If he did not have breakfast and dinner with his mom, he would never hear the end of it. With his father in heaven and him being an only child, his mother really valued family time.

She set down the sneezing little girl, who did not take her eyes off Billy from the moment she entered the room, (she’s onto him, he just knows it), in her chair and took a seat next to Billy. “No! please stay. It’s just you always just take food to eat in your room. It’s nice to eat as a family again.” She whispered the end of her sentence as if it was a secret. She was smiling as if Billy had done some miraculous work of magic.

That confirms most of Billy’s speculations. Jason’s family was somewhat dysfunctional. It was obvious, from the snapping at each other randomly, the lack of communication, and the fact that a simple meal together was now a fabled legend. Billy feels a little sad for Jason. Maybe the football star didn’t have as great a life as Billy thought.

He eats his breakfast and watches an episode of Backyardigans with Pearl on the little TV in the kitchen (something she thoroughly enjoyed). It was evident that she loved her big brother, and of all the damaged connections Jason had in this house with his family, his relationship with his little sister was in the best condition. Jason’s dad walked downstairs to see Billy, or rather Jason, his son laughing and talking excitedly with his mother and sister.

“What’s going on here?” He said with a faint smile, fully dressed and ready for work.

Jason’s mom smiles, the age lines under her eyes and mouth crinkle ever so slightly. “We’re having breakfast together as a family. Why don’t you grab a bowl of Captain Crunch and join?”

“I don’t know, Bev, I don’t want to be late…or start something…” He seemed self conscious, as if he was afraid his presence will ruin the momentum of the good day.

Beverly pulled her husband down to sit in the seat beside Pearl directly in front of his son (well Billy). “Don’t be silly, Sam, you’re a part of this family too and you can afford to be late one day. You’re your own boss,” She convinced.

Complying, Sam took a seat and poured himself a bowl of Captain Crunch. Pearl did the majority of talking with Beverly, Billy and Sam chiming in when she was held back by a fit of sneezing and coughs. At one point her mother left to find more layers and a humidifier for Pearl, leaving Sam and Billy alone to talk. Sam talked a lot about sports and his work on the fishing vessel, the latter being more interesting to Billy, but Billy still kept up the conversational momentum with what little football knowledge he had. He suspected it would be strange if Jason knew nothing about the sport he played all his life.

He briefly thought maybe he would know more about sports or been more invested in them if he had a father to share the experience with. _Now he was jealous of Jason again._

After they were all finished eating, Billy offered to wash up the dishes and clean the dining table. Beverly and Sam Scott were stunned. They hadn’t seen their son behave or volunteer to do chores in years. It put a wide smile on both their faces.

“Well, I’m late so I think it’s time I head out. Today was… nice. We should do it again,” Jason dad’s said, smiling as he got up from the table with his cooler and messenger bag at his side. He leaned down and kissed Pearl on her forehead just before kissing his wife on the lips. He makes an effort to give Jason a sign of affection but he felt awkward and Jason (Billy) seemed to be unresponsive, so he just ruffled his son’s (Billy’s) hair.

Billy smiled, it just came to him naturally, Sam was pleased because he seemed to be seeing his son smile at him for the first time in a long time. It was heartwarming, even if it made Billy feel awkward and uneasy for a brief moment.

“I’m off!” He said, heading through the door.

“Hurry and go shower and get dressed, Jason. Drive safely. I think the roads are still wet from last night and some parts might be flooded,” Mrs. Scott advices as she spoon feeds her daughter some medicine. Pearl shutters when she swallows the bitter medicine and Billy giggles until what Jason’s mom has said sank in.

Billy panicked. He couldn’t drive. He failed two driving tests already and yeah Jason could drive but the ability to drive was stored in the brain and not the body. “Me, drive myself to school… I can’t...!” He stuttered, knowing he needed to go to school but was not ready to crash Jason’s pickup into a wall trying to get there.

Beverly stared at him skeptically, “You can’t do what…?”

“Umm, can’t I just get a ride to school from Mr.—umm Dad?”  Billy knew he sounded anxious and was displaying un-Jason like behavior but could not stop his fidgeting hands and shifting eyes. He was uncomfortable with all of this.

She looked out the window and saw that her husband was still loading his equipment onto the car. “Do you really want to go to school with your dad? It is on his way to work so it’s no problem, but why?” She asked curiously.

“I just want to. No reason,” He said, doing everything to not lie because it made him feel bad and, again, he was really bad at it.

“Okay. You don’t ever need a reason to spend time with your dad. You go get ready upstairs and I’ll keep him here,” She promised, still brimming with joy.

“Thanks, Mom!” Billy yelled running upstairs to quick shower and change. He opened the door of the bathroom and was hit with a revelation. He would have to shower in Jason’s body. He would have to shower in a body that was not his (even if it felt like it) and one he was very attracted to if this morning was any indication.

“NOPE! Nope, nope, nope,” He muttered to himself as he washed his face and gargled with some mouthwash. Yes, it was against his morning routine to skip a shower, a thorough teeth brushing, and flossing but this was not his bathroom, not his body, and that red used toothbrush on the side of the sink was not definitely his and he was not putting that in his mouth.

Billy rummages through Jason’s closet and throws on a band t-shirt, blue jeans, and a denim jacket resting on Jason’s desk to keep the cold winds at bay. It was not his kind of outfit but he had seen Jason in this exact same combination of clothing last month (photographic memory will always be Billy’s favorite part of being autistic). For a finishing touch, he pulled back the clothing and sprayed some deodorant under his arms to make up for opting out of a shower.

Jason ran downstairs, waving goodbye to Mrs. Scott and Pearl before climbing into the passenger seat of Mr. Scott’s jeep.

“Sorry if I kept you waiting,” Billy says cheerfully as he puts on his seatbelt.

Mr. Scott stares at his son like he has sprouted two heads or just confessed he was an alien all along. “It’s no trouble, Jason, let’s get a move on,” Sam replies carefully as if he were speaking to a scared animal, prepared to run away if he spoke too loud. The entire car ride Mr. Scott was smiling and silently bopping his head to the country music station, which delighted Billy. He probably had nothing else in common with Mr. Scott, so they didn’t talk much but the ride was enjoyable because the history of anger and resentment was not between them, it was between Jason and his dad. So even though Billy was in Jason’s body, he knew somehow the experience was not _authentic_. It was still pleasant though.

Near the school, Billy’s jacket pocket beeps and lights up, it was Jason’s phone, he got a message from a football team group chat saying that football practice would be in the gymnasium, not on the field because the field is still flooded. In the chat, he also manages to see a picture of a flyer for a party being held at Hawkeye and Rebecca Harper’s house tonight. A wide, bright smile came to his face. He had never been invited to a popular kid’s party before and being able to go would be a great upside to randomly becoming Jason Scott.

Billy arrived at Angel Grove High minutes later, said his goodbye to content Mr. Scott and ran through the large doors. Class would begin in fifteen minutes so he had to find Trini and Zack and work on resolving this situation as soon as possible. He was determined to call it a situation because he had yet to prove if it was a hallucination, a dream, a very vivid simulation, or something else entirely. He could experience things with the major five senses but he refused to rule this near impossible occurrence as real until he had a valid/viable explanation. First he searched for Trini because Zack rarely came to school on time. Trini would always be on or under the bleachers until the bell rang.

Billy ran through the school in a hurry and got a few funny looks. It wasn’t until he stopped in front of a very reflective glass door did he see himself. Here he was Jason Scott, star quarterback and one of the most popular boys in school, running through the halls in the most unstylish geeky way (like Billy Cranston or a dad jogging). He had awful bed head, since Billy was in a rush and did not know how Jason got his hair the way he did, and his tongue half hung out his mouth like Billy always did when concentrating. He just looked un-cool. He looked nothing like Jason Scott.

Being as meticulous as ever Billy, straightened his clothes and tried to fix his hair in the glass door before walking through the hallway, walking with the swagger and confidence a guy like Jason had. His strut was not perfect but it was better than what he was doing before. A few freshmen girls giggled when Billy walked past, it made him smile with pride. It was a giggle of girlish admiration not the kind of giggling he is used to hearing, giggling of mockery. “Jason Scott is so hot!” He heard the younger girls whisper.

A few dudebros even high fived him as he walked by. “Jason, seeing you at Hawkeye’s party?” Billy gave them a single cool guy nod and kept moving. He saw that move on TV. Every giddy geeky cell in his body that was fulfilling their dreams of being ‘cool’ wanted to squeal but he contained himself.

He finally made it across the gym and out the back exit of the school. Just as he predicted there was his friend Trini, sitting on the bleachers, a book in her hand and her yellow signature headphones on her ears (no doubt she was listening to deafening heavy metal). Within seconds, he raced over to her just to halt at the foot of the bleachers, barely needing to catch his breath because Jason’s body was fit and highly accustomed to exercise.

“Trini, I need your help!” Billy shouted with his hands unnecessarily clasped around his mouth to form a Megaphone to amplify his voice. Trini didn’t see him because her face was buried in her book. It was definitely a novel, not a textbook because Trini did not care much for school. So Billy jogged up the steps until he was right in front of her.

Impetuous, He poked her in the forehead with his finger. Alarmed, she jumped out of her sitting position, dropped her book, and pushed Billy down a few of the steps. Billy tumbled but just managed to have enough coordination to land on his behind and not damage anything vital of Jason’s.

“Homeboy, what is your fucking deal!” She yelled. She was really spooked, her chest rising and falling with great irregularity. She was a volatile mixture of scared and angry.

“Sorry for scaring you, but I’m in big trouble, Trini! I’m scared. Nothing makes sense. I woke up in Jason’s Scott house, in his body and everyone thinks I’m him! Sometimes it's fun but most of the time it’s just really confusing. I might like country music but I don’t know how to be white…” Billy rambled, rapid fire, just saying the thoughts that popped into his head.

Her forehead crinkled up in confusion and her eyes narrow. “Hold on for a second. I don’t understand a thing you’re saying or what any of this has got to do with me. Do you even know who I am Jason Scott?” She asked, making Billy remember that at the moment he was Jason Scott, not himself, and Trini had a great distrust of popular guys like Jason Scott.

Billy stood up and got closer to her, the closest she would allow. “Yes, I do know you! I know you better than your own mom,” He said smiling, hoping she saw the sincerity in his eyes, “Because I am Billy, Billy Cranston one of your best friends.”

She chuckles, barely covering her mouth with her hands. “Have you gone mad? Have you been smoking too much oregano or something?” She dismissed his claim because she was only human and what Jason (really Billy) said was too farfetched and wild to be true.

Her laughter was disparaging, but Billy was persistent and determined. “Trini, it’s me Billy and I can prove it!”

“Tell me something only Billy knows,” She challenged with a slanted smirk,

It just took a few seconds of thinking with his hands pressed to his chin for an idea to come to him. “Well only Billy Cranston knows you have a big, lesbian crush on Kimberly Hart but you pretend you hate her!” Billy declares loudly.

“N—NO I DON’T!” She sputters out, her face blushing bright red as she feverously and futilely denies her feelings for the uber popular cheerleader. “Why would I even… You’re wrong! That doesn’t even prove anything.”

Billy groans aloud and throws a bit of a hissy fit, scratching his hair. “You literally can’t stop talking about her!” His eyes were genuine and serious but this was for too strange for Trini to accept out of the blue at eight in the morning. “What else can I do to prove I am the real Billy Cran--”

“TRINI, YOU WON’T BELIEVE THIS!” Zack bellows as he runs up to Billy and Trini arguing. He had a big grin on his face and pure unadulterated joy in his eyes as he says, “You have to see this! Billy is beating the shit out of Colt Wallace!”

“WHAT??” Trini shouts. That does not sound like their pacifist friend at all, she thought. She looks over to Jason Scott, acting very unlike himself (just as shocked as she was to hear this) and processes the news of her close friend acting very unlike himself and it all started to make a lot of sense and yet no sense at all.

Without saying anything else, Zack ran back to where he came from, expecting Trini and Billy to follow. _They did_ but for differences reasons. Trini followed because her best friend was finally defending himself and she wanted to see (maybe protect him) and Billy followed to see who the heck this fake Billy was and also to maybe see himself be badass.

A little part of him wanted to see his bully get some comeuppance, _a painful one_.

Trini and Billy followed Zack to the empty parking lot behind the school’s designated detention room. They only found Billy Cranston hunched over Colt Wallace’s body as he pummels his red face with his furious brown fists. Billy, (in Jason’s body) was horrified, Trini was confused (several scenarios of what happened to cause Billy to snap were running through her head), and Zack was positively gleeful and proud of his friend.

Though no one else in the school deserved to be beat up more than Colt Wallace, for tormenting anyone who he deemed _too_ different, the way this imposter Billy was wailing on him was downright brutal and unforgiving. The real Billy was a little disgusted, his stomach churning and twisting. He hated extreme violence.

“That is enough!” Billy screamed grabbing one of the imposter’s arms; pulling him off with all the strength he could muster which appears to be a lot considering this was Jason Scott’s body. “You’re going to kill him at this rate!”

After a brief struggle, the imposter-Billy complied then turned around to face Billy, his face contorted in confusion as his eyes scans over his own body. “Billy, is that you in there?” He asks with astonishment.

“… Jason?” Billy stammers out equally as awestruck. This had to be Jason, If Billy was in Jason’s body then Jason was in Billy’s body. It made sense if you had decided to accept the already nonsensical element of the body swap.

“Why are they calling out their own names, Trini?” Zack inquired in the background.

“No idea. Let’s just watch this play out.”

Jason nodded his head. His facial expression looked so odd in Billy’s body, his stance was confident and powerful, his fists were bruised from repeatedly colliding with Cole’s hard face and he was wearing clothing that Billy had buried deep in his closet and never wore because they just didn’t fit him right. They were the right size, but they just did not fit his personality or style.

“So this is not a dream or something?” Jason asked again, hand moving to lace through his hair before remembering this was Billy’s body and his tick of running his fingers through his silky blonde hair was unsatisfying with Billy’s low cut. “This is real?”

Billy shook his head. “Unless you and I are having the same trippy dream. All I know is that I woke up at your house in your body and decided to play the part until I knew more,” he summarized his whole morning. “I tried my best to be you unlike you apparently! Getting in fights with Colt Wallace!” Billy snapped at Jason.

Jason rolled his eyes and sneered at Billy, the rolling off the eyes looked so odd. Billy never rolled his eyes. His mother taught him it was extremely rude to do when someone is talking. “First of all, I had the same wacky stressful morning thank you. I was scared out of my mind so be a little nicer,” Jason snapped back.

“Sorry but did you really have to maul him? I could get in trouble and get detention! Again!” That ashamed look was back on Billy’s face. He’ll admit that he was still frustrated with Jason for getting him in trouble on the field trip yesterday. Plus he generally disliked bloody violence, even in movies and video games.

“He attacked me!” Jason protested with fervor. He hated the way Billy was judging him and getting angry with him, it hurt feelings he didn’t know he had. “I was just going to class when he walked up to me and threatened to break my wrist and you don’t know what he called you! It was horrible and I couldn’t let him get away with that.” Jason was seething with anger as he gazed down at Colt’s bruised bleeding face as if he wanted to finish the job.

“It doesn’t matter what he called me. You looked like you were going to kill him, Jason,” Billy said wisely, trying to maintain whatever mortals he was taught. “Wait what did he call me…?” He said abruptly, giving into curiosity, he was wise but still a teenager.

“I can’t… I can’t even repeat it,” Jason said hesitantly, still seething with rage.

Billy released a soft gasp and covered his mouth. “The….N-word?” He asked, eyes wide, scandalized.

“No… _the R-word_?”  Jason corrected, knowing this slur still had weight when thrown against Billy. “Ableist pig,” Jason spat with utter disdain.

Billy shuddered, Colt had called him that before and it hurt now just as it did back then. “Oh, so he deserved that then.” He tried to put the slur behind him and think critically. “But I still think we should call the nurse or something. He looks like he’s _dying_.”

Jason Scoffed, “He is not dying, and I’ve been in plenty of fights and gotten way worse.” Soon after he faced Billy, smirking, “You’re too nice, Billy. If I were you, I would have smashed his teeth in long ago. It’s not like you’re not capable of it. I sure did it in your body,” He commended Billy, patting him on the back, well, patting himself on the back but still Billy understood his intentions.

“I’m not one for confrontation. I just freeze up when I sense a threat,” Billy admitted, his eyes falling to his feet. He wished he was as brave and daring as Jason was, but it wasn’t in his nature.

Jason directed Billy’s chin upwards, with his index finger and smiled again, a sweet small smile that made Billy feel warm all over. His own smile should not make him feel this way, but in all honesty, it looked nothing like his smile. Jason had managed to make it his somehow. “It’s okay. I doubt he or anyone else is going to mess with you ever again.”

“Thanks, Jason,” Billy said, blushing. He could feel his face getting redder every passing second.

“No problem. I won’t lie and say that getting to beat the shit out of someone who deserves it isn’t therapeutic,” Jason quipped.

Billy chuckles. He was the one doing the laughing but it came out in Jason’s voice. Jason had a lovely laugh in his opinion. He should do it more.

“Got any ideas about how we fix this? Get back to our own bodies?” Jason asked, getting the conversation back on track.

“Do you?” Billy sassed, his eyebrow raised.

“Hey, you’re the genius, Billy. I am completely lost. I’ll accept any wild theories,” Jason said making a fair point.

Billy thought hard, his forehead creased and his eyebrows furrowed. “Well, I have been piecing things together for a while, ruling out the usual scientific and science-fiction causes of a bodyswap and none of them are applicable to our situation. It’s far too real to be a virtual simulation. We never surgically switched brains or transferred energy so it must have an unscientific answer. It must be _the unknown_ ,” He mumbled softly to himself.

“What do you mean by unknown?” Jason asked only catching the end of Billy’s mumblings.

“Magic!” Billy shouted happily clapping, his whole demeanor brightened with childish enthusiasm. “It has to be magic!”

“C’mon, Billy. Magic isn’t real,” Jason said with an expected skepticism and in a snarky tone. “I’ll sooner believe aliens did this to us.”

Billy huffed and gestures to himself and Jason. “Says the guy who swapped minds with someone he hardly interacts with, the very day he visited a voodoo parlor and upset a voodoo priestess,” He pleaded the strange case.

Jason’s eyes light up and metaphorical light bulbs went off in his head. “‘Those who don’t hear will feel.’ That’s what she said! She hexed us!” He said, recalling what the store owner had said to them just before they left. It was not a coincidence that she even insisted they not receive detention because they would be punished enough. “That bitch! This is just disproportionate punishment!”

“Language! You can’t call her that!” Billy cried, pouting at the unwarranted misogynous language used. It was weird for Jason to see himself pout and think ‘that’s cute.’

“Sorry,” Jason apologized posthaste.

“And we don’t know for sure. It’s our only and biggest lead, but we have no evidence. We will have to investigate,” Billy explained the gears accelerating in his head as he thought of a plan.

“So you’re thinking what I’m thinking?” Jason asked with a wide smile. It was his dashing prince smile, and even on Billy’s body, it was quite fitting.

Billy nods knowingly. “We skip school, go to the voodoo parlor, and ask Miss. Nancy very kindly if she can please remove the spell if she did actually cast one,” He replies, slamming his folded fist into his open palm.

“Deal. Let’s go! I drove your mom’s van to school, so we can take that,” Jason explains pulling out the car keys and dangling then in front of Billy. Jason must have stolen the keys. Billy’s mom would never let him drive without his license and with his sketchy driving test history.

“What the hell are you guys talking about!?” Zack intervened, stepping between the two boys. This weird ass conversation had gone on too long and he wanted to get to the bottom of this.

Billy faced his two friends. He wanted to explain who he was and how he got here but it was difficult. This was an impossible situation with no logical reasoning to anything. “Umm…we have no time to explain, so long story short: I’m Billy, I’m in Jason’s body. Jason is in my body. We think it’s because we offended a voodoo priestess and we have to go apologize!” Billy babbled out and started to catch his breath.

Zack narrow his eyes and his forehead crease as a sign of confusion, “That makes no sense at all! Are you pranking us or something because it’s not funny.”

“No Za—”

“I believe you guys,” Trini interrupted. Having observed the whole exchange of words between Billy and Jason for a while had her believing, in a weird way.

“Really?” Billy chirped, with bouts of joyful clapping.

Trini nods her head, smiling at Billy, “Yeah, Billy, is the only one who knows who I like and he would never pound Colt Wallace’s face into the pavement no matter what Colt did.”

Jason snickers with pride, unable to feel shame for beating up a bigot.

“So go do what you need to do. We’ll hold down the fort and make excuses for you two until you come back,” She said offering her help in anyway possible, knowing Billy would do the same for her in a heartbeat.

“Probably take Colt to the nurse too. Say he fell down the stairs on his face.” Checking to see if he’s still alive Zack kicks the boy on the ground, who responds with a groan. He was alive, unfortunately.

“Thanks, Trini!” Billy appreciated the favor she was doing for him. Many would still be dubious of this whole story and wrote him off as crazy and he would not blame them, but Trini knew better. “You’re the best. If we’re not back by lunch time, then call in the cavalry!”

“The who?” She inquired, now more puzzled than ever but still supportive.

“My mom,” Billy said walking over to her. She was the only person Billy knew was strong enough to take on Miss Nancy, at least in court. His mother will sue the life out of her.

Trini giggles and briefly reminisces about his protective mother. “Okay, got it.”

With that Billy and Jason ran off together towards the parking lot, leaving behind a still confused and stunned Zack, a swollen bruised faced partly unconscious Colt, and Trini who was now becoming more open minded to thought of supernatural phenomenon.

This is one freaky friday.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments. This new cranscott fanfics you guys wrote really encouraged me to continue this Odd Rom Com AU train. I love this ship! <3


	3. On the Other Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pretending to be someone else.

This entire fic was beta-ed (brought to life and enriched) by the beautiful, talented and hardworking sorcerer [Deku08](http://deku08.tumblr.com/).  She is worth the follow!!! She really did an amazing job with this muddled up chapter. 

 

On the ride to the Sweet and Salt Jason and Billy relayed their mornings to each other, updating each other on what had happened in their various households. “I had breakfast with your mom. I wanted to run to my house to see what was up and what was happening to my body, but she said I couldn’t go anywhere because I promised to eat breakfast with her,” Jason recalled, a slight peeved look on his face. “She was very persistent.”

“Yeah, sorry. I promised her the night before that we would eat together and we do not break promises in my house,” Billy informed, nodding his head. He kind of expected his mother’s overly attached parenting style would get on Jason’s nerves a little bit since his home life was more lacking in that area. “You weren’t rude to her, right? Because, Jason, you cannot talk to a black mother the way you talk to your white parents. You will die young!”  Billy exaggerated, his voice laced with a comedic undertones.

Jason chuckled heartily, struggling to keep his eyes on the road. “I realized early on that it was just best to do what she says, _politely_. We just watched Golden Girls reruns together while eating banana chocolate chip pancakes and drinking cocoa.”

“Aww, that’s my favorite, special breakfast!” Billy whined childishly. He could imagine Jason got to eat out of his special blue triceratops plate and drink from his special red T-rex mug.  He had a dinosaur phase as a kid, and his parents heavily indulged him.

“Sorry for stealing your breakfast and your ‘mommy & me’ time,” Jason said with a smirk on his face. Billy was being cute again.

“It’s alright. Sorry for my mom being overbearing.”

“She’s really great, Billy. She doesn’t give orders like my family does. Yeah, she’s a bit high strung and attached but she listens to me…” Jason said with sentimental expression and wistful voice. Billy felt pleased and warm all over. To think a simple, quiet morning at his house would give Jason so much inner peace. Billy made a mental note not to take his mother for granted.

The peaceful moment passed and Jason gripped the steering wheel harder. “She doesn’t go straight to yelling to prove her point and she actually tries to find a middle ground where everyone is happy. In my house it’s his way or the highway. Only he gets to be right and happy,” He vented, obviously referencing his relationship with his father. His anger and pain practically radiated off of him until he glanced over to the passenger seat and saw how uneasy he was making Billy. “While I was eating pancakes, you were probably having a really rough morning. If my dad treated you badly or if my parents could not stop fighting, _I am so sorry_.”

Billy recognized the concern in Jason’s voice and a tinge of shame, as if he felt responsible for whatever family dysfunction or verbal abuse he may witnessed. “I had a perfectly normal day and got along with everyone. The family ate cereal together and watched cartoons and the news. Not very eventful. They treated me fine, Jason,” Billy said to quell his concerns.

“Really? You ate together? You’re not lying to protect my feelings or anything?”  Jason asked, having a hard time imagining his family being functional for one morning.

Billy nodded his head, but Jason’s whole countenance became sorrowful afterwards. “Then I guess my dad’s right… I am the problem. I cause all our fights.” His whole posture and tone was defeated and weak. “I’m probably the reason they fight too. My parents never say it, but I just know I am. They’d be happier if I just did not exist.”

Billy reached over and touched Jason’s arm so lightly, he tensed but relaxed after. “I wasn’t lying about the nice morning I had, but at first, your dad made me feel so scared, intimidated, and judged that it was hard talking to him. I can see why you’re withdrawn at home and act out. He acts like a prison warden,” he admitted with sincerity in an effort to make Jason feel better, to make him feel like he wasn’t the only one in the wrong.

Unfortunately, that only seemed to rile him up even more. “Yes, he does. He is so infuriating! It’s like he hates everything about me and I can’t do anything right,” Jason ranted, striking the centre of the steering wheel with his hand, making Billy jump. “ _Sorry_ ,” He apologized shortly after.

Billy settled himself and looked deeply into Jason’s eyes. “Yes, he can be hard to deal with… but you’re also wrong, Jason. He loves you, he wants to get along with you, he wants the best for you, and you talking back, flaring up and avoiding him makes it hard for him too. I know you do all this stuff because all morning your parents were shocked that I was talking to them and even eating breakfast with them. ” Billy said adding insight on Jason’s whole familial situation.

“Well, I’ll work on that. Thanks, _Dr. Bill_ ,” Jason quipped, smiling sweetly at Billy again. He recognized some merit in what Billy was saying. He recognized a long time ago that he hadn’t been putting any effort into the relationship between his parents and him for a long time, but Jason didn’t want to feel like the cause of the bad relationship so he blamed it all on his father. That isn’t to say his dad was completely innocent. They were both making mistakes, too prideful to admit it and just yelling because it was normal to by this point. Easier to be mad at someone else than himself because then he doesn’t need to change. Spending the morning with Billy’s mom showed him that a son making an effort, even just for breakfast, could go a long way.

“Who?” Billy commented with a lost expression on his face.

He marvels at Billy, eyes precariously between the road and Billy’s face. “Nothing, Billy. Nothing at all.”

“So what else did you do this morning?” Billy asked, gestures and features becoming suspiciously guilty and bashful. “Did you see anything I need to worry about… anything embarrassing?”

“What? Worried I found weird porn on your laptop,” Jason joked.

Billy’s eyes widen with panic. “I don’t have that on my laptop, Jason!” He protested.

“I’m just kidding, Billy. I did check out your workshop though. Why have the FBI not started monitoring you? I’m pretty sure you’re a threat to national security,” Jason commented, alluding to the explosives and inventions Billy has lying around.

Billy just shrugs, downplaying his illegal activities. “Don’t know.”

“So relax. I just finished a few episodes of Golden Girls with your mom, did the dishes, showered, got dress---”

“HOLD UP! JASON, YOU SHOWERED?!” Billy shrieked. His eyes were wide and filled with dread.

“Yeah, I did. I usually don’t go to school without showering, Billy,” Jason said nonchalantly, stopping at a stop light so he can give his attention to Billy. “What’s the big deal?”

“In _my_ body. YOU SHOWERED IN MY BODY!” Billy said still screaming. When he panicked, he had a tendency to overreact and get loud.

“So… I couldn’t go to school without showering. Your mom would never let me out the door,” Jason said, making his point. “Wait didn’t you shower?” He asked after a moment of silence passed.

“No, I didn’t. I was afraid of violating your privacy! I didn’t even use your toothbrush. It was too weird,” Billy argued, arms folded over his chest.

“Well, I wouldn’t say it wasn’t awkward, but I needed to get clean and get to school so I just did it. I closed my eyes and got it over with,” Jason said, feeling himself get a little embarrassed now that Billy was making a big deal of it.

“How could you, Jason…” Billy muttered, glaring at Jason.

“Oh my god, Billy, will you chill. I’m sorry I showered. I will never do it again. Actually, I might have to depending on how long this body switch lasts,” Jason said, making some sense. He could not stay dirty for over three days because that was just inhumane.

“So… did you see anything… you know weird?” Billy asked, looking up at for a reaction. If his crush did see his naked body, he wanted a detailed review damn it!

“Other than your extra toe?” Jason teased.

“I don’t have an extra toe and you know it, Jason!” Billy protested, still pouting.

“I know I’m kidding,” Jason laughed. He leaned over to the passenger seat, whispering into Billy’s ears. “I did happen to notice you were kinda hot under all these sweaters. What’s your workout routine like?”

“Just… stop talking, Jason! Ugh,” Billy said as he sunk into his seat, feeling flustered and making Jason’s whole body blush red. “I can’t believe you actually showered.” He continued to mumble as if wrapping his head around the shock of Jason having seen him naked.

Jason snickered all the way to the shop while Billy covered his blushing face and muttered to himself. “I can’t believe Jason Scott saw me naked. I could die.”

 

Upon arriving at the shop, Jason kicked opened the wooden doors of the parlor, much to Billy’s surprise and chagrin. “Jason!” He reprimanded but was ignored.

“Reverse the spell right now!” Jason demanded, the moment his eyes landed on Miss Nancy sitting around the counter.

“American children have no manners at all,” Miss Nancy mutters as she sips from her tea cup, her eyes never looking up from her book. She paid them no attention.

“Jason, don’t be rude!” Billy warned, gently closing the door before walking over to the counter. “Good morning. Can you please reverse the spell? Right now please?” Billy pleads, falling to his knees in a show of reverence and desperation.

“Good morning, sugar, and I can’t do that,” She glances over the counter and greets him with a broad smile on her face. “But I can do something else for you. Want a good luck charm?”

Billy frowned and got up from his knees. “So you admit that you know we are under a spell?”

“Oh, of course!” She states cheerfully, “Your auras are different today. By my guess, you switched souls. You’re so very red now,” She says pointing to Billy’s body before redirecting her finger to Jason’s body, “…and he’s so very blue now.”

She was playing with them and that upset Billy. “Why won’t you remove it?” He interrogates her, his polite side now gone. This was a serious matter and she was playing it off like a joke.

“Can’t remove a spell that I didn’t cast,” She said with a sigh and a gesture to the door. “If you’re not buying anything, leave.”

“Bullshit!” Jason spat unable to bite his tongue any longer. Billy had to stand in front of him and hold him back. He was seconds away from jumping over the counter. “Then who put the spell on us then?” He asked the operative question.

“Eshu did. Eshu is the god _you_ tried to steal yesterday and knocked over his offering in the process,” she lectured the boys, emphasizing Jason’s role in all of this. “You, white boy, angered him, so he played a trick on you two. Stuff like this is right up Eshu’s alley. He has a terrific sense of humor.” She ended her lecture with an amused chuckle.

“Jason, tried to steal the statue! I tried to return it. I’m innocent. Why I am being punished?” Billy complained, ready to plead his innocence.

“Billy!” Jason said, calling Billy out for throwing him under the bus.

“Well it’s true!” Billy argued, feeling a tinge of guilt.

Miss Nancy shook her hand and wagged her fingers in Billy’s direction. “You did not tell me he was stealing it. You wanted to cover it up. You were an accessory to said crime, an accomplice by omission. You shouldn’t have protected your little boyfriend,” She warned, laying some blame at Billy’s feet.

“He’s not my boyfriend!” Billy refuted, now flustered and blushing.

“Yeah I’m not his boyfriend!” Jason said soon after, looking over at Billy’s adamant reaction and feeling a pang of pain in his chest. He did not have to deny it so zealously.

 “Want a love potion to make him your boyfriend?” Miss Nancy suggested, pulling out a red heart shaped glass vial from under the counter. “…Buy two and get the third one free?”

Billy groaned, placing his hand firmly on the counter and narrowing his eyes at the irritating shop owner. He needed a clear answer and he was getting nowhere like this. “How do we undo this? How do we appease Eshu?”

She sighed, propping herself up on her elbows. “Well, it’s divine punishment, dear. You’re free from it when you learn your lesson.”

“I already learned my lesson! I’ll never steal again okay? I’ll even buy the piece of driftwood a whole carton of eggs! Please reverse this!” Jason begged, briefly humbling himself.

Miss Nancy scoffed at Jason’s disrespect. “This isn’t preschool baby boy; your lesson is bigger than ‘stealing is bad,’” she stated as she walked over to the door and opened it. “The answer is not in my shop but in each of your lives. Go find it and hope for the best,” She says, motioning for them to leave.

“Bye… and thank you,” Billy mumbled as he followed a glaring Jason out the door.

“Bye children! Come again next time with money!” Miss Nancy shouted from the doorway, giving them a jaunty wave goodbye. Jason turned around, flipped her ‘the bird’ and hopped in the van. 

“That was a huge waste of time!” Jason growled, hitting the centre of the steering wheel hard again, this time hard enough to trigger the car horn. 

Billy flinched at the sudden loud noise. “I’m sorry,” Jason apologized right after.

Billy relaxed and nodded, confirming he was fine. “No, it wasn’t a waste of time, Jason. We know more now. We know its magic and not science. We learned it can be reversed and the key may be in getting to know each other. Don’t you think we switched bodies for a reason? Are you up for finding out the reason?”

“I am if you are.” Jason mustered up a weak smile at Billy who responded to his smile with a more enthusiastic smile of his own. Jason reached for the gear shift where Billy’s hand happen to be resting and placed his hand over Billy’s. He expected for Billy to jolt and drag his hand away, but he just kept it there, looking at where their hands met for several seconds, only moving when he was sure Jason was ready to drive them back to school.

Both of them were weary, tired, and feeling emotions they don’t understand.

   
Jason and Billy made it back at their shared lunch period. As soon as they walked into the lunchroom, it erupted into loud applause. Billy looked around bewildered while Jason just stared blankly, unimpressed and peeved by all of it.

“Is this for you… or well me-you?” Billy asked, eyes searching the faces of his adoring fans. He was excited but still confused. “Is this some football thing? Did we win another game?”

“No… It’s not for me. Well, it is but at the same time not. I’m still confused by this whole thing,” Jason says as the crowded lunch room begins to chant Billy’s name over and over. “Billy! “Billy! Billy!” The real Billy waved happily at the crowd until he realized he was not Billy Cranston to anyone anymore. He was Jason Scott and not the object of this praise. It’s literally his dream to be popular and now he can’t even enjoy it. 

Jason started pulling a motionless Billy by his hand into the direction of Zack’s eager waving hand and Trini’s familiar pout. Billy went willingly, hyper aware of their hand holding and the looks people were giving them. It must be strange to see the most popular boy in school Jason Scott, being lead by his hand, by the school’s resident nerdy, boy genius Billy Cranston, especially since Billy Cranston looks peeved, _pissed_ actually while Jason had an almost unambiguous perpetually confused gaze.

“If it isn’t our superstar!” Zack welcomed Jason with a slap on the back. Jason glared at him before collapsing into his chair.

 Zack was taken aback by the unfriendly reaction until Trini pointed to Billy (in Jason’s body). “Wrong one, Zack. Let me guess, she didn’t help you?”

Billy nodded his head dejectedly. Jason laid his head in his arms on the lunch table. “Oh yeah, sorry,” Zack sighed, hesitantly reaching over to pat Billy on the back, feeling odd about being affectionate with Jason Scott, a practical stranger (even if it was technically Billy).

“It’s okay. We’re working on a solution,” Billy answers as cheerfully as he could, trying to lift Jason’s spirits. “Anyway, Zack, do you know why everyone is shouting my name?”

“ _Well_ ,” Zack starts, his grin widening, “We had to take Colt to the nurse, on the way everyone saw his mangled mug so I told everyone Billy went awol on Colt for bullying him again.” Jason made eye contact with a table of nerdy girls, who winked at him and giggled. It was nothing he was not used to but something very new for Billy he supposed. “You’re every nerd’s hero, kid! A geeky legend!”

“Why did you do that, Zack! I might get in trouble!” Billy yelled, getting the attention of the entire nearby tables. It was weird seeing Jason lose his cool and be awkward so the staring was warranted.

“Colt is not admitting to anyone you kicked his ass. He told the nurse he fell down the stairs. He’ll die denying it, trust me,” Zack said with a cheeky grin. “And it’s not like I’m lying. Billy did beat the shit out of Colt.”

“I didn’t. Jason did… _in my body_.”

“Same difference.”

“I think you guys should do a better job at preserving your identities. Maybe Jason shouldn’t beat up any more people. Billy might suffer the consequences when you switch back,” Trini says as several eyes were fixed on their mixed-matched social group, wondering how Jason Scott fit in the picture.

“And Billy shouldn’t sit with us,” Jason said, suddenly sitting up straight.

“Why not?” Zack asked. “And whose us? We’re his friends, buddy.”

Jason pointed over to the crew of popular kids strutting their way over with lunch trays in hand. Jason looked a little afraid and, quite honestly, intimated. There were arguably about six or seven most popular kids at Angel Grove High that were ranked by gender, desirability, and overall usefulness to the school. For the girls, there was the Queen Bee herself Kimberly-Ann Hart, head cheerleader and famed hottest girl in school, with her second in command and rival Amanda Clark, who was also a cheerleader and captain of the girls soccer team (that always lost), and Rebecca Harper in tow. She was also a fellow cheerleader and Amanda’s lackey. Not extremely pretty but she was filthy rich and happened to be Hawkeye’s little sister, which was a huge image boost. The way they walked in a perfect bird migration ‘V’ said it all. Kimberly and Amanda were right next to each other chatting away while Rebecca was lagging behind, chiming in when Amanda needed her to agree with her, a yes man.

For the guys, there was Hawkeye first and foremost. No one knew his real first name, just the initial “H.H.” Rumor has it his real name is too embarrassing to ever be said aloud. Before Hawkeye became a freshman at Angel Grove High, the school had quite the losing streak but then he came out of nowhere to win every football game almost single handedly as their quarterback. It also didn’t hurt that his parents were the second richest people in Angel Groves (the first being Kimberly but very few knew that well kept secret). Girls loved him, throwing themselves at him left and right, and the guys wanted to be him, practically worshipping the very ground he walked on. Jason was in the middle this dichotomy for many reasons, his feelings for Hawkeye falling directly between the girls and the guys.

 The second place for popular boy was a tossup. Many would say Jason Scott but others would say Ty Flemming, captain of their basketball team and Kimberly’s boyfriend. But basketball was not as popular in Angel Grove as football was, and Ty being in a relationship for years now hurt his chances. Jason was always single, so that made every girl think they had a chance even if they were sadly barking up the wrong tree. The moment Hawkeye thought he was graduating, he passed down the position of quarterback to Jason, but apparently he did not graduate. And that’s it. Well there was Damo but he was just the comedic, party animal sidekick of the group. Yeah, he was a football player but not as crucial to the team as Jason or Hawkeye was.

An uneasy feeling grew in Jason’s stomach when Hawkeye made eye contact with Billy (in Jason’s body). His eyes said more than his lips would allow and Billy was oblivious to the intensity of the look because it was not meant for him. The boy didn’t know what it meant.

Amanda Clark stopped in front of their table, tray in hand and glare passing over the unpopular kids, the _losers_ , at the table. Kim had a worrying look in her eyes as she stared at Billy (in Jason’s body) as if the was observant enough to sense something was off. “Jason, I sent you a text saying we’re eating lunch on the roof today, not here with… _everyone else_ ,” Kimberly said as she gave Trini, Zack, and the real Jason the once over. “Yeah what are you doing here with these losers?”Amanda added just after, throwing the subtly of Kim’s jab out of the window.

“Ummm...I… I…” Billy stuttered, knowing they were referring to him but having no experience with talking to the intimidating cheerleader or knowledge of what she was talking about. “Well, I was going to but… I…”

“He’s getting tutored. I’m tutoring. Our biology teacher said if he doesn’t pass he’ll get benched,” Jason chimed in for Billy, annoying Amanda and Hawkeye in the process.

“Yes… that is what this is about,” Billy agreed stiffly, as if he was a preprogrammed robot.  

“That sucks, dude, but if anyone is going to help you pass, it’s Crams-ton!” Hawkeye said, laughing as if his joke were Apollo Theatre material. Billy, who despised the nickname, didn’t even force a smile. Just because he was technically Jason didn’t mean he was going to be a jerk, especially to himself.

Jason bit his lip out of nervousness. There was no way Billy could pretend to be him, not with Hawkeye around who had expectations of Jason that Billy could not meet. “Enough tutoring for one day. We’re going. We got a party to plan,” Hawkeye ordered, tugging Billy up from the seat. He was peeved.

“Party? Are we invited?” Zack asked. He hasn’t been to a real party in forever. Taking care of his mom rarely left him time to party. He may not like Hawkeye but he loves parties.

“ _As if_ ,” Amanda goes to say but is interrupted by Billy, “Sure, you guys can come as my guests. You are… helping me pass bio after all.” Billy reached over to bump fists with Zack but the look Jason gives him tells him it was best not to. It was a social faux pas.

“Fuck it. Jason’s new friends can come. The more the merrier,” Hawkeye says begrudgingly, pulling Billy by his arm away from the table. He appeared to make a habit of controlling Jason.

Billy went willingly, looking with nervous eyes over his shoulder at Zack, Trini, and Jason. Jason nodded his head, telling him it was better to just play along until they were able to meet up again. Kimberly, ever the observant one, kept staring at Billy as if she knew something was wrong or out of place. She followed Billy’s gaze behind her, accidentally looking Trini in the eyes. Trini just looked away quickly, a blush spreading over her cheek.

“What are you gonna do?” Trini snapped. She was worried, they all were. “Billy can’t be you. He can’t blend in with those people! They will eat him alive, Scott.”

“He’s gonna have to, but don’t worry I’ll help,” Jason said as he swiped Zack’s phone.

“Hey!” Zack whined.

 “I’ll just text him whatever answers he needs,” He answers, typing in his number into Zack’s phone. Zack allowed it for Billy’s sake.

“You better be right. If anything happens to B, Colt’s not the only one getting dragged to the nurse,” Zack threatened Jason. Trini nodded her head in agreement. In that moment Jason was jealous of Billy. He had such protective, loyal friends. Jason doubts any of his friends would even believe him if he said he magically switched souls with someone and needed their help to navigate another social strata.

“He’ll be fine…” Jason reaffirmed with confidence. “Just as long as he isn’t alone with Hawkeye...” He mumbles under his breath.

“What?” Trini asked.

“Nothing…” Jason said, shooting Billy a text hoping for the best.

   
The day went well enough. No major hiccups or glitches. Jason texted all the answers Billy needed to football questions - who to talk to, who to avoid, and how to explain why he was so god awful during football practice that he had to be benched. He told the coach was having aches and pains because he caught the flu from his baby sister which should also explain why his personality was so off today. It was fun being popular; everyone was nice to him and listened to him talk, but it was still a chore to be someone else. Sometimes he forgot to answer to his name, or well Jason’s name, but otherwise being Jason was so much fun!

 

> **[Billy]:** Hey Jason. Rebecca gave me her chocolate pudding cup. she is so nice.  
>  **[Jason]:** billy she is not nice, she’s been trying to get me to fuck her since junior high.  
>  **[Billy]:** Don’t say that Jason. She’s your friend.  
>  **[Jason]:** just because we hang out doesn’t mean we’re friends. it’s true, every one of them has an ulterior motive.  
>  **[Billy]:** I don’t believe that! Have faith in people! You are nothing like I expected you to be!  
>  **[Jason]:** really, what did you expect me to be like?  
>  **[Billy]:** An arrogant one dimensional jock  
>  **[Jason]:** Ouch…..
> 
> **[Billy]:** Sorry, was that rude?  
>  **[Jason]:** it’s alright Billy, I earned that description and more. _I’m happy I defied your expectations_. C:

Jason’s day also went well. He stuck close to Trini and Zack, controlled his temper (not that anyone dared to pick on Billy anymore), and was treated like a hero by all the nerds, geeks, and misfits he came across. Everyone hailed him as slayer of the demon named Colt Wallace, a lady’s man for talking to Amanda Clark and Kimberly Hart at lunch, and cool adjacent for being close friends with Jason. Billy’s coolness was amplified by Jason’s aloofness to the attention that he was already use to. The only problem was that Billy had a AP physics pop quiz that Jason happened to flunk so bad the teacher asked him if he needed to be referred to the guidance counselor.

At the end of the day, Jason picked Billy up from football practice and drove him back to Billy’s house. Billy’s mother had not come home from the firm yet so they were able to return the van to the garage and the key to the key rack as if it had never left the premises.

“Who are you texting?” Jason asked Billy, rummaging through the fridge for food. He did not have to look for very long. Billy’s mom left microwavable mini pizzas for her son to eat when he came home from school. Jason learned this morning that Billy wasn’t allowed near the stove after the Panini Incident of 2011. This was vastly different compared to his food set-up at home. Since his own mother always made excuses not to cook or…clean the house, he just became self sufficient over the years. He’d say he was a pretty good cook by now.

“I’m texting your dad, telling him he doesn’t need to pick me up from practice because I’m getting a ride from a friend,” Billy explained.

“Why?” Jason asked, having never had a reason to text his dad. Texting his dad sounded absurd.

“He drove me to school so he might be worried about how I’m getting home,” Billy answered.

“What did he say?” Jason wondered again. His dad was going to be pissed. Even if Jason was supposed to go straight home after practice every day, it was normal for him to stay out and come home later to avoid his dad. He was use to his lectures and screams when he got home, but Billy texting him now would start the yelling much sooner.

“He sent me the thumbs up emoji and told me to be home before dinner,” Billy said, taking a bite of the warm miniature pizza.

Jason’s eyes squinted out of suspicion. “That’s awfully lenient of him.” He didn’t call? His dad didn’t call after seeing Billy’s text to order him home immediately? What the hell?

“Is it?” Billy questioned, shrugging, “Do you think he would drive me to the party tonight or do I have to call an uber or something? Oh, can you drive me?”

“Party? Wait Hawkeye’s?! You are not going to that party!” Jason shouts, putting aside his miniature pizza.

“Why not?” Billy whined and pouted. “I’ve never been to a party, not a real one anyway, and Zack wants to go too.”

“First of all, you refused to shower. Do you think you can go to a party in your stinky post football practice condition?” Jason pointed out, rubbing his temple.

“I’ll shower then,” Billy said with determination. “I’ll shower here. It’s more familiar to me and all my stuff is here.”

“You wouldn’t!” Jason said with a confident smirk. “You’d have to see me naked.”

“I don’t mind,” Billy replied angrily stripping off his clothes in the kitchen, “You didn’t mind this morning so why should I? I’ll go shower right now!” Billy said as if it was a viable threat.

“Ugh, parties are not what bad movies make them out to be,” Jason said trying to convince the persistent boy. “It’s just people getting sloppy drunk, grinding on each other to the billboard top 40s, and pressuring each other into doing dumb games and pranks and fucking in every room in someone else’s house. There is always a fight or some other illegal shit going on. It’s not fun. _Trust me.”_

“That’s easy for you to say! This is a big deal for me! It might never happen again!” Billy disputed, passionately. “You’re never the kid who’s excluded from everything. I can’t pass up this once in a lifetime opportunity to be invited to a party by people who like _me_!”

“They don’t know it’s you! Everything they said means nothing if they don’t know its Billy Cranston. They are not your friends. They would never like the real you!” Jason barked. He knew it was the truth but it still stung him coming out his mouth just as much as it stung Billy hearing it. He was being unusually cruel and he could not stop himself.

“Why are you being so mean?” Billy asked, hurt written all over his face. His big brown eyes glazed over with possible tears.

Jason clenched his fingers tightly in an effort to stay strong even while looking directly at Billy’s disappointed expression. “I forbid you from going! My life, _my rules_!

“Why are you so determined I not go? Are you afraid I’m going to embarrass you so badly and ruin your entire reputation in one night?” Billy questioned. His voice was growing hoarse and burning with the promise of tears to come.

“No, Billy… of course not,” Jason replied, trying hard to lower his voice. He was being honest; he just wanted to protect Billy from his demanding social life, maybe protect himself from having to say it out loud what he needs to say out loud but has refused to admit for years.  

“Then what?”  Billy asked again, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Nothing…”  Jason replies softly. He reaches back to comb his hand through his hair, but sighs when all he swipes over his head, still not use to Billy’s shaved head.. Sighing, he walks over to Billy. “Just don’t go,” Jason pleads with the boy, trying to deter him from going to that party without raising his voice. “I’ll take you to parties after I’m back in my body. As many parties as you want ‘till you’re sick of them like I am.”

Billy gazed into his eyes, searching for the truth. “How do I know you won’t forget me the minute we change back?” The question pierced through Jason’s defenses, going straight to his heart.

“I-I won’t… I _promise_.” He assured, his whole body wavered with the use of that word.

“I don’t believe you,” Billy said forthright, dodging Jason’s downtrodden expression. He was afraid it would convince him to change his mind. “I’m going to go take a shower.”

Jason lets Billy go shower and falls back into the couch behind him, surrounded by a pit of despair and other complicated feelings. Billy’s mom came home and Jason was way too exhausted to pretend to be Billy, so he stayed put and pretend to flip through television channels. 

“Sweetie, you’re here?” Mrs. Cranston asked she rested down the grocery bags in the kitchen.

“Yes, I’m right here,” Jason answered, stuffing his face with mini pizzas with urgency. Maybe if his mouth was full, she wouldn’t notice his foul mood and question him about it. He missed his unobservant, unattached parents so much in moments like this. “Just chilling.”

“But I heard the shower running. Who else is here?” She asked, surprised and a tinge of anxious in her voice.

“Just a friend. My friend,” Jason said nonchalantly as she approached him. “He… spilled his drink all over himself, so I let him clean up in our bathroom.”

“Is it Zack? Because that boy is always a mess. I love him but he’s a mess magnet,” She said, removing Jason’s leg from the coffee table and wagging her fingers in a warning signal. There were a lot of pointless rules in this house and Jason will admit sometimes they can get annoying.

“No, it’s Jason Scott.”

“JASON SCOTT? IN MY HOUSE?” She squealed. “Oh my god, did you give him something to eat? Maybe we should invite him to dinner? I was going to make baked chicken, but since Jason is here I can make paella! ” She babbled, running back to the kitchen to rummage through her grocery bags for ingredients.

 _I guess she likes football_ , Jason thought. “Yeah, he ate some of the mini pizzas,” Jason answered, chuckling quietly. He can see where Billy got his tendency to overreact and so talk fast and so much when excited. “He’s going to a party tonight so I doubt he can stay for dinner.”

“Oh,” She said, deflating after hearing the bad news. “Maybe a next time then.” She leaned her head back into the living room. “Are you invited to that party?”

“I could be,” Jason said, “Bi—I mean, Jason mentioned it at lunch.” That was true. Billy did invite the whole table at lunch and Hawkeye did give them to okay to show up.

“Then go. I know it would mean a lot for you to go to one of these _shindigs_ ,” She said with a smile. This time Jason outright laughed at the use of shindig. It was such a mom word. He was sure he heard his mom say it before. He misses his real mom a little more right now.

“Are you sure? These parties can get wild,” Jason asked, more of an experiment to see how much more different Billy’s mom would react to him going to a ‘wild’ party. His parents would freak and shut him down for sure and then he would have to sneak out or lie.

“I’ll drive you there just so I know where and whose house it’s being hosted, but I love and trust you to not drink or do anything you know I disapprove of. You need to go out and have some young, hip fun, baby boy,” she states with one last beaming smile and kiss blown his way before she heads back into the kitchen.

Jason felt warm all over. It felt nice to hear that you were loved and trusted. He did not hear that as often as he used to as a kid. It was nice.

“Billy, sweetie…?”

“Yes, mom,” Jason answered easily and happily.

“DIDN’T I ASK YOU TO TAKE THE CHICKEN OUT OF THE FREEZER WHEN YOU GOT HOME FROM SCHOOL?” Candace Cranston shrieked from the kitchen.

Jason’s eyes went wide. He has committed a great injustice. He just knows it.

In the shower Billy hears his mother screaming about defrosting the chicken and immediately trembles, as if having war flashbacks, and thanks god he isn’t Billy Cranston today. That is Jason’s problem.

   
After giving Jason a lengthy lecture about the importance of defrosting the chicken when told or dinner wouldn’t get served until much later or not at all, Mrs. Cranston drove her son’s friend home. On the ride home, she totally fangirled and asked Billy (who she thinks is Jason Scott, star quarterback and town celebrity) all kinds of questions. At first they were about football but then they got personal.

“So, Jason, what’s the plan for this wild party tonight?” She asked with a playful energy surrounding her, she was trying to be the fun cool mom. She was failing. “Going to bust some fresh dance moves?”

Jason chortled and Billy cringed. She was embarrassing him and didn’t even know it. “Going to shake it up with that girlfriend of yours?” She asks as she turns up the Rihanna song playing on the radio.

“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Billy answers for Jason. From what he knows about the boy, Jason has never been with a girl long enough for people to say she was his girlfriend. He was considered a player that couldn’t be tied down.

“Oh, you have a boyfrie—”

“NO!” Jason shouts before she can even finish. His eyes are wide with fear and his hands shaking. Mrs. Cranston turned around to look at Jason with a confused expression. He quickly realized he answered a question not meant for him and how odd it looked for Billy to vehemently deny that Jason Scott does not have a boyfriend. “No, I… ummm… no he’s doesn’t. He’s not… um…” Jason stutters before going quiet, looking over at Billy’s worried face before quickly turning to look out the window.

“I’m single Mrs. Cranston,” Billy said simply. It felt weird to call his mother by such a formal title even if it did come out in Jason’s voice.

“That is alright. A lot of people your age and older are single,” She says, glancing at the boy who she thinks is her son through her rear view mirror, gazing out the window with the most ashamed and morose expression she has ever seen on his face. “My Billy is single too, and when he’s ready to date, I hope he remembers that I’ll love him no matter who he chooses. Girl, boy, or anyone in between,” She says, trying to remind her son he has no need to be afraid of love of any kind.

But the real Billy knew this already. It has never been a problem for him because of how he was raised and who he was raised by, but it seems Jason was not blessed in that way and he felt sad for him.

It was a silent ride from that moment onwards.

Mrs. Cranston dropped off Billy at Jason’s home, following him to the door to apologize to Mr. Scott for keeping him at her place a little late. Sam Scott was courteous and kind to Candace, thanking her for taking care of her son and telling her it was no trouble. Billy went inside and could smell Chinese food. He followed the smell to the dinner table where Beverly Scott sat with her daughter sleeping in her lap and her little mouth covered in sweet and sour sauce.

“Sorry, I wasn’t able to cook… again,” She said with an anxious smile. “I got you kingdom wings and fried rice. I saw you eat it before, but if you don’t like it, I can eat it for lunch tomorrow.”

“I like it,” Billy said, grabbing the paper container offered to him and digging in. He loved Chinese takeout but his mother was always complaining about the health hazards of eating too much junk food and takeout with MSG.

“That Billy Cranston, he’s the one who won the school all those science trophies right?” Jason’s dad says as he walks into the room, picking up his container of soup. Billy nodded in agreement. “That is good company right there. That kid is going places. I’m not saying you have to start acting like… well, a _geek_ , but surrounding yourself with someone with a working brain might help you.”

“Yeah,” Billy mumbled in agreement with his mouth full. He knew he was being complimented but it felt shallow. As if Jason’s dad was using his accomplishments to tear Jason down. “Hey, dad, can I asked you a favor?”

“Sure, kiddo, what’s up?” He said with a warm friendly smile. Billy wondered why Jason portrayed his dad as such an unreasonable guy. He was such a nice guy to Billy.

Billy took a sip of his soda, “My friend Rebecca Harper is throwing a party tonight and I--”

Sam Scott’s cheerful expression soured. He put down his soup and pointed his finger in Billy’s face. “Is that why you’ve been so good today? To get permission to go to some party?!” He accused, with bass in his voice. “I knew it. I knew there was some catch. It was too good to be true. No, it takes more than one day to win my trust back, Jason!”

“Dad, I have to go to that party. All my friends are going to be there!” Billy cried just as persistently as he did with Jason earlier today.

“The same friends that convinced you to get sloppy drunk and vandalize the Stone Canyon Bull’s gymnasium? The answer is no!” He barked.

“But dad!” Billy whined, finally seeing what Jason saw, _a tyrant_.

“I said no, Jason!” He repeated, dismissing the look of desperation his son’s face. His eyes were blinded by his own perspective.

Billy growled, threw the food container on the table and then got up. “I’m going to my room,” Billy said through gritted teeth.

“Jason, please stay…” Beverly pleads, watching her son march up the stairs to his room, but Billy is deafened by his anger. He doesn’t hear her so he keeps going.

When he’s gone, Beverly gets up from the table too, picking up the sleeping Pearl that had been awoken by the screaming and started sniffling. “Why do you always do this? Why won’t you let this family be happy?” She questioned him while hushing Pearl.

“Don’t, Bev. You know I’m right.”

“Yes, Sam, you’re the only one who gets to be right,” She spat as she walked to her room, shushing the distraught daughter.

Sam collapsed into his chair, hanging his face in his hands. He had ruined it, ruined whatever miracle had happened today.

Upstairs in Jason’s room, Billy was pacing the room restlessly for hours, frustrated and muttering to himself. “How could he say that? He just jumped to conclusions. He’s so unfair! UGH.” Now he understood what Jason meant when he complained about his dad. Billy really wanted to go to his first ever party and was forbidden from it.

A text from his (Jason’s) phone gets his attention and calms him down.

 

> **[Zack]:**   billy right? I’m still confused by this switch. do you need a ride to the party? Trini says she doesn’t wanna come.  
>  **[Billy]:** Jason’s dad said I can’t go…  
>  **[Zack]:** so? he’s not your dad.  
>  **[Billy]:** He isn’t!  
>  **[Zack]:** yeah he can’t tell you what to do so sneak out dude! fuck him and his rules.  
>  **[Billy]:** I’ve never snuck out before… but I will tonight! I have to go!  
>  **[Zack]:** sweet! send me the directions and i’ll park down the street from Jason’s place. meet me there in an half an hour. 

Billy styles his hair with hair gel just like Jason instructed at lunch. He put on his special cologne and threw on a variation of the same outfit he wore today except with a worn, burgundy leather jacket in place of the denim. After finishing, he went to check himself out in the room’s mirror. Even though he did the work, he marveled in it at the sight. Jason looked good tonight, as always. He tied Jason’s sheets together, formed a rope ladder, and used it to ease himself to the ground floor.

Billy sneaked around Jason’s yard, making it to the street. Beverly was in Pearl’s room, sleeping beside her and Sam was in the living room in front of the TV set with a beer in his hand.  He briskly trotted down the street of Jason’s neighborhood and found Zack leaning against his motorcycle parked on the side of the road.

He hopped onto the bike, threw Billy his spare helmet, put own his own helmet and patted the back of his seat. “Hop on, Billy.” Billy struggled for a few seconds but managed to get on the back of the bike, clinging to Zack for dear life. Zack was a speed demon and did not feel pleased until the wind was blasting through his hair and over his skin. But since Billy was onboard he slowed down a tad, still fast but a normal human’s definition of fast.

What should’ve been a fifteen minute drive only took the boys five minutes, with Zack’s speeding they arrived to the house around 10 o’clock. They were met by loud, lively music with bass that could be felt from the driveway. When the bike came to a stop, Billy jumped off and ran to the door. Bubbling with excitement, he practically jumped out of his skin as he pushed the doorbell and waited for an answer.

Zack caught up to him after parking and locking his bike, turned the doorknob and pushed it open. “It’s a party, Billy. No need to ring the doorbell.”

“Yeah. I knew that,” Billy lied badly, stepping into Rebecca Harper’s crowded house party, “Let the fun begin!” Zack chuckled, shaking his head; yep this was Billy Cranston alright. If he wasn’t certain back then, he certain was now.

 

 

 Jason collapsed into Billy’s bed, staring up at the ceiling, in different neighborhood several kilometers away from the party of the summer. He knows he needed to go to that party but could not muster up the will to face Billy after Billy learns what he’s been hiding all this life.

Restless he rolls around in the bed, as he faced Billy’s enormous Book self, a particular book caught his eyes. It was a small blue book with a silver lock on it.  Temptation took over him, he got up and took the book down.

“Billy’s diary, do not open.” the cover read. A sly smile came to Jason’s face. He should have some fun tonight going against Billy’s rules too, if Billy was going to go against his.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Moseying their way through the party, they found the dance floor. Billy danced. Danced badly next to and with Zack until Zack caught the attention of some green eyed brunette from the Stone Canyon’s Wrestling team (the only girl allowed on the boys wrestling team because of some technicality) and left Billy. Zack would have stayed if Billy asked, but Billy wanted him to have fun too so he told him to go on ahead. Even though he let Zack go, Billy felt lonely. He was far from alone what with practically half school at this party, but none of these people truly knew him and the party was slowly losing its appeal.

An hour later, Billy finds himself in the kitchen with Rebecca Harper. He’s squirting a can of spray cheese into his mouth while some lower level members of the football played beer pong and told misogynistic story about girls they had had sex with or were planning on having sex with tonight. It was tedious.

“Jason, why didn’t you shoot me a text when you got here?!” She says, tugging him out of the kitchen towards the dance floor. “Hawk is upstairs getting ready and Kim & Amanda will be here in a few minutes. Fashionably late as always. Let’s dance until they get here.”  She did not even give him a chance to answer; controlling others must run in their family.

The music was loud and obnoxious but it was what Billy wanted, had begged for actually, so he pretended to like it, to fool himself while danced with Rebecca. Well, his version of dancing. He gyrated his hips with the music and did a mixture of his signature cookout dances that seemed to amuse his family but only got him weird looks at this party. Rebecca on the other hand did not really do any dance moves of her own. Or any dancing really. She just pressed her behind up against Billy’s crotch and grinded into him.

No, Billy did not like that.

Billy jolted away from the unmistakable sexual advances, and Rebecca turned around, embarrassed and blushing. Billy felt sorry for her, especially after what Jason said earlier today about her having feelings for him, so he made an excuse. “Hey, Rebecca, I’m thirsty. Dying actually but there was only beer in the kitchen. I don’t drink beer...”

“Since when?” She asked skeptically.

“Since recently. Do you have anything else? Maybe some fruit juice? I’d take Minute Maid lemonade if you have it,” Billy said, making up any excuse to get Rebecca away from him with the hope that she’ll go to the store or to Canada, just far away from him.

“I’ll take a look if we have anything,” She says with hesitation in her eyes, but she does as requested and goes in search of juice.

When Rebecca is out of sight, a hand touches Billy’s shoulder. Spooked, Billy jumps again and spins around. It was Trini! Finally someone Billy knew and could talk to. He was so happy.

“Hey, B. What’s up?” She greets him with a small smile.

“Zack said you weren’t coming,” He said in disbelief. His night brightening by the second.

Trini adjusted her beanie, pulling it lower on her head. Maybe she was hiding from someone. “I wasn’t but then I thought why not? I have nothing better to do than stay home and have family game night and that’s just a fight with my mom waiting to happen.”

“Nice. Maybe we can dance or play a game!” Billy chirped, immediately springing into a series of embarrassing dance moves. “I’m a really good dancer.”

Trini giggled, awkwardly standing still in front of him. “I don’t dan---”

“Jason! Jason!” Rebecca had to call repeatedly for Billy to notice she was talking to him and turn around to give her his attention. He still was not used to being referred to as Jason and, in his defense, it is a common name and he kind of hoped she wasn’t referring to him. “I brought you your drink.”

She glared at Trini and possessively tugged Billy away from her, “Why are you talking to that freak?”

“You mean Trini? She isn’t a freak, she is the coolest person I know,” Billy said, defending his friend. Suddenly Rebecca wasn’t looking as nice as she was this afternoon.

She rolled her eyes, pushing a cup of red liquid in Billy’s face, “Anyway, I got you some fruit punch,” She said with a smirk. Billy had downed the whole cup quickly, hoping he could immediately ask her to get him another one, so he can run off with Trini but then he noticed a bitter after taste, “… and mixed in a gin kicker. Only the best for you Jason.”

“ _Gin_? There was alcohol in this?” Billy said licking his lips, glancing between the empty cup and Rebecca’s smirking face. He had never had alcohol before, it tasted awful. Why would people drink this?

“Yeah, it’s my dad’s good stuff,” She said, refilling Billy’s cup with a pitcher that rested on a food table. Billy hadn’t even noticed a pitcher there. Was it there earlier? “You look like you weren’t having fun so I thought you needed a pick me up.”

“No, you don’t care about how I am feeling,” Billy stated candidly. He did not appreciate her spiking his drink, especially with something that tasted like poison. He was having a hard time controlling his tongue, it felt slack, numb and loose.

“I do care about you, Jason,” She pleaded with big brown eyes, desperation clouding her judgment and yet revealing her insecurity.

“No, you only care about yourself,” Billy said, resting down the cup. He was not drinking anymore of that stuff. It was bad for him and made him feel funny. “You felt you needed to get me intoxicated for me to like you, and I feel sorry for you.”

Tears welled up in Rebecca’s eyes. “What is wrong with you? I’ve been throwing myself at you for years now and you never even looked twice at me. Do you think there’s something wrong with me?” She sniffled, appearing vulnerable and fragile.

He had hurt her feelings. He may be tipsy and having trouble pretending to be Jason but he can recognize when someone is hurt. It made him feel bad, downright sick to his stomach but he had to defend himself. “Yes, but not your appearance or anything superficial like that. I don’t think you’re a genuine person. You have self obsessed social climber tendencies, but above all,” He paused, trying to find the right words but continued anyway when the right words eluded him. “ _I’m just not interested in you_.”  And neither is Jason! He mentally added.

He was honest. He tried to avoid all the usual disparaging words, to soften the blow, but she still burst into tears and ran away. A bunch of guys walked passed Billy, giving him thumbs up and pats on the back. “Always a heartbreaker I see Scott.”

“A real player,” another jock commended laughing. “You’re my hero dude.”

Billy just groaned and walked away from the scene of the crime. His head was kind of fuzzy. He made a girl cry and he was still not having fun. Jason was right; parties suck. As soon as he admitted that, the noise of the booming stereo and the screeches of the party goers became far too loud. The place was too crowded and everyone smelled of alcohol or too much cologne and perfume mixed with sweat. He was experiencing sensory overload.

He couldn’t walk through the dance floor without someone trying to get his attention by shouting out Jason’s name, and grabbing him. Drunken high schoolers had no sense of personal space and the girls especially got fresh, repeatedly reaching for Billy’s hand, ass, and at one point, an utterly smashed girl pressed her hand up against his crotch while giggling and whispering lewd propositions in ears.

_It made his skin crawl._

He just stayed there petrified as she ran her hands up and down. He asked her to get off of him but she couldn’t seem to hear over the music or chose to ignore him as she wrapped her hands around his neck. She was too close. She smelled like beer and cheap perfume and looked completely out of it. She seemed like a perfectly nice girl, but right now Billy wanted her ten miles away from him.

Billy was rescued from said inebriated horny girl when strong rough hands dragged him out of the crowd of grinding, drunk kids and pulled him to safety. He thought it was Zack at first, but when he turned around, he was face to face with Hawkeye. He had a lopsided smirk on his face and his hair was a deliberate mess. He must have spent a long time getting it that way.

“Your time starts now,” He says, pulling a tipsy Billy upstairs.

“My time?” Billy mumbles as he is dragged into a room. He’s actually glad to be inside a quiet, secluded room away from the party he was growing to despite with every fiber of his being. They were in a very lavish bedroom. He figures it must be Hawkeye’s bedroom from the way boldly he walks about it, like he owned it and everything within it.

“Amanda is going to be late. Something about a fight with Kimberly. Probably wore the same thing and couldn’t decide who should change. Girls are so predictable,” He says, locking the door once Billy was fully inside and moved to sit on the bed.  “So we have some us time. What you _wanted_ , right?”

Hawkeye’s voice lowered, but Billy doesn’t care for that. He’s more interested in the WII U that was just lying on the bedside table out in the open. “What games do you have?” Billy questions in an attempt to distract the older boy. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he knew he wasn’t comfortable so he walked over to the console to avoid whatever it was Hawkeye wanted to talk about.

“Why does it matter?” Hawkeye asks as he pulls his shirt over his head, unbuckling his pants.

“Please tell me you have Super Smash Brothers. My mom said I can’t get it till Christmas,” Billy whined, fiddling with game console.

The linebacker’s thick eyebrows furrowed. He threw his hands up in frustration. “You gonna suck my dick or what, Scott?”

“What no why-” Billy questions as he turns around. When he finally sees the half naked, disheveled jock behind him, he jumps up in shock and anger, yelling, “Don’t talk to Jason like that! That is just rude….very _rude_ …and Jason wouldn’t do that with you! He deserves better.”

 “Don’t get high and mighty with me. You had no problem sucking me off at training camp!” He growls at Billy, looking more bewildered and pissed off with every passing second. “And why the hell are you talking in the first person? You’ve been acting weird all day.” 

“ _Third person_ ,” Billy corrects. His eyes were still glazed over and he had lost the ability to pretend or even care that he was Jason. “If I’m Jason, I would be talking in the third person.” It was literally a third grade English lesson. Even if he was a little tipsy, he knew what point of view he was using.

“Fuck that! What the hell is wrong with you?” Hawkeye stalks over to Billy and roughly slams his hands on Billy’s shoulders, sliding them down his body. “You practically begged me to get time away from Amanda so we can do this and now you’re…malfunctioning? The fuck, Jason?”

The touch, unambiguously inappropriate made Billy freeze in place. His body trembled with fear. “Can you please stop?” He pleads softly. He wasn’t comfortable. He just wanted to be home. He wanted to watch Gilmore Girls with his mom or tinker with his inventions in the basement. Is this why Jason doesn’t like parties?

“Stop acting like you---”

BANG!

Both boys looked towards the door. “It’s taken! Go find somewhere else to fuck!” Hawkeye shouts, his face coming closer and closer to the crook of Billy’s neck.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

The banging on the door became more incessant and violent with every kick and punch. It pissed Hawkeye off to the point that he let go of Billy (much to Billy’s relief), picked up his shirt, and walked to the door. He pulled on his shirt and opened the door. “This better be fucking good, and not just Damo wondering how to work the fucking popcorn machine again!”

As soon as Hawkeye opens the door, his face comes in connect with a hard fist to his nose. He fell back onto the floor with a loud thud. Jason walked in, in Billy’s body of course, wearing an expression that Billy has never seen on his own face. He looked so…badass! Billy waved happily at Jason.

“Jason, you came… and you keep punching people,” He said giggling, stepping over Hawkeye’s body as he runs over to Jason. “Everyone’s going to think I did it.”

“Sorry about that, Billy,” Jason apologized, rubbing his knuckles. He was sure the hit hurt him just as much as it hurt Hawkeye. Billy’s arms were not made for punching or violence of any sort. “I’m really sorry,” Jason said with genuineness and honesty, his voice filling with emotion.

“Its okay, Jason. I’m fine really,” Billy said really chipper, smiling goofy, his eyes glazed over. “He’s not okay though. Oh no he’s dead, Jason,” He added, going into a giggling fit.

“He’s just unconscious and you’re obviously _tipsy_ ,” Jason said, leading Billy out of the room and down the stairs. “Let’s get out of here before he wakes up. I don’t want your body to be bruised in a real fight with him.”

They walked through the hallway, trying to get downstairs.

“Aww that’s nice,” Billy said as they passed Zack making out with the mysterious Stone Canyon girl. They’re pressed up against a bedroom door as Zack tries to open it with one hand without breaking the intense kiss.

Jason scoffs, takes Billy into the kitchen, and grabs a bottle of room temperature water from under the sink. He’s been to enough parties at this house to know they move water under the sink to make more room for beer in the fridge. He takes Billy outside behind the house to the pool in the backyard. Jason quickly takes off his own shoes before helping Billy with his. They sit on the edge of the pool with their feet in the water. Jason hands Billy the water bottle. “Drink all of it really fast. We need to sober you up before you go home. Dad’s gonna be pissed at you-me for drinking. I sort of had a problem with alcohol and promised to stop…”

Parched, Billy gulped down the entire bottle at once. “I snuck out to this party,” Billy confesses, feeling ashamed and disappointment in himself. “He’s already ‘pissed’ at you. _I’m sorry_.” He hated the party just like Jason said he would and now Jason’s going to be in more trouble with his dad when he gets back in his body, if he ever gets back in his body.

“I should be the one saying sorry,” Jason said. The moon and combined starlight shined down on them and illuminated his face. Yes, it was Billy’s face but the expressions all seem so foreign. “I know I said sorry already, but sorry again for letting you come to the party. I knew Hawkeye would…make a move on you…” Jason pauses and scans Billy’s face for a negative reaction, but saw none. Billy just waited patiently for him to continue. “I just didn’t want anyone knowing that… that I was fooling around with guys.” Jason could tell from Billy shocked face, it explains that weird sexual interaction with Hawkeye but it still was not the image of Jason he had before all this, that he was certainly surprised but there was no malice behind the expression. “That I’m gay.”

A heavy and suffocating weight was lifted off Jason Scott when he admitted those words aloud for what seemed like the first time ever. “I’m gay, Billy,” Jason repeated for both himself and Billy to hear. “I needed to keep it a secret to maintain my position at school and to not rock the boat at home. Pretending makes me feel like shit. I’m sick of feeling like shit.”

“That’s good news, Jason,” Billy says grinning. When Jason glares at him, Billy quickly states, “Not the being miserable thing. That’s terrible. That sucks. What I meant was I have a secret too. You won’t guess what it is,” He giggled softly, running his hand through his (Jason’s) hair.

“Then I won’t guess,” Jason teases, causing Billy to pout and whine.

“But You have to!” Billy complained, pouting.

“You have a huge crush on me?” Jason asked, smirking.

Billy’s eyes widen and his jaw falls to the floor. “HOW DID YOU KNOW?”

Jason snickered, using his fingers to close Billy’s mouth. “I read your diary when I was your room. I guess I was getting back at you for disobeying me, god I sound like my dad!” He grimaced slightly, before going back teasing Billy. “There’s some juicy stuff in there, Cranston. I’m pretty sure a few entrees count as _fanfiction_.”

“That is an invasion of privacy!” Billy cried, his embarrassment making Jason’s whole body flush red and get flustered.

“I’m sorry but this whole spell is an invasion of privacy,” Jason correctly pointed out, both boys having seen and done way more in the others body than they would have liked.

“It is!” Billy looked at the pool, its water unnaturally blue and gleaming. “But if I had to switch lives with anyone, I’m glad it was with you,” He said sentimentally.

Jason smiled, eyes reconnecting with Billy’s. “Billy, can I admit something else?” He asked unnecessarily.

“Yes, Jason?” Billy asked, eyes keen and focused on Jason’s face (well his own face).

“I like you too,” Jason confessed with ease. This was his first time telling another boy he liked him. It felt liberating.

“That’s a big step from you not even knowing who I was a day ago,” Billy chimed in, it felt more like a week.

“A lot has changed over the course if a day,” Jason said, scooting closer to Billy. “Though, I’d like to be myself again. I miss my family, flaws and all. I miss my cute baby sister. I miss my sad mom and my angry dad, but I’m so glad I got to know you on this deeper level.”

“Well, I miss being black,” Billy deadpanned.

Jason bursts out into uncontrollable laughter. “That is what you miss the most after this mind blowing revelation?”

“Yes, I miss my skin! Gosh, Jason, I don’t know how you can stand being so pale all the time, everywhere. I am red all the time!” Billy shouts to the sky. He was sick and tired of always blushing so dang much.

Jason was still chuckling. “You get use to it,”

“No, I won’t. I miss my mom. I miss her cooking, watching retro TV with her, our game nights. I miss how our house is quiet and I miss my unpopular friends, Trini and Zack, who I took for granted. They are way better than all of your friends combined. Uh, no offence,” Billy says, thinking back to how reliable, nice, and dependant they were during this whole debacle.

“I agree, and starting today, they aren’t my friends anymore!” Jason declared aloud. “I think my life will be much better when I stop surrounding myself with people I hate and pretending to be something I’m not.” He was brimming with pride.

“I’m proud of you,” Billy says, leaning closer to Jason. His face right in front of Jason’s now. “Hey Jason, I have another secret.”

“What is it, Billy?” Jason asks.

“I’ve really wanted to do this for a long time,” Billy states just to build up suspense.

“Do wha---”

Before Jason can finish his sentence, Billy leans in and kisses him. At first, it is just a soft press of his lips against Jason’s lips but soon Jason intensifies the kiss. His tongue slides across Billy’s bottom lip and Billy opens his mouths out of reflex. From there on the kiss grew hot and hungry. It lit fires within the pit of Billy’s stomach and all over his skin, making him tingle and pant. He was engulfed in heat, but this heat was a warm fireplace welcoming him home after being out in the snow.

On Jason’s end, he felt cold. Shivers ran up his spine when Billy’s hand wandered to his back and goose bumps covered his skin when Billy cool breath blew against his jaw and neck. He felt so cold. It was an amazing cold, a refreshing and revitalizing cold. His kiss with Billy was a tall drink  of cold water after being out in the summer heat all day. It cooled whatever tight, hot rage that was within him, bringing him relief.

Sparks flew between the two, coursing from their chests to meet at where they connected, the kiss. It was _electrifying_. It was oddly familiar.

Out of nowhere, thunder boomed across the sky and lightning followed behind it. A single drop of rain fell in between Jason and Billy, landing on their hands, which rested on top of one another. Following the single drop was a hundred more, falling faster and harder than the single warning drop.

Billy and Jason pulled away, laughing and running under a nearby awning to get out of the rain.

Nature was sending them a message, dousing them with a literal cold shower. Go get a room!

Billy swiped his hand across his face to get rid of the water droplets around his eyes and then he saw it. It was his own dark brown hands that he now controlled right in front of his eyes. To confirm he looked down and saw Jason, his pale skin flushed red about the ears and neck from kissing. Billy squealed with excitement. 

“Billy, what’s the probl— oh my God!” Jason screams as he looked up and saw Billy standing three inches taller than him in all his beautiful drenched glory. “We switched back!”

“We switched back!” Billy repeated, grabbing a hold of Jason and pulling him into a tight hug, his face in Jason’s shoulders. “God it feels great to be me again!”

“Ditto, but I’m going to miss being six feet tall,” Jason joked, basking in the hug.

Billy pulls away from the hug, leaning down to kiss Jason’s lips again. It was weird kissing his own body before and this feels more right. “Six foot one but who's counting, _Shorty_ ,” He whispered against Jason’s lips

Jason rolled his eyes and pushed him away for that dig at his height. “Let’s go home.”

“Agreed,” Billy said, pulling out his surprisingly dry phone and dialing his mom to come pick them up. The phone’s built in digital clock said 12:01am.

“Let’s never piss off a trickster god again,” Jason says seriously.

“Agreed,” Billy said just as somber as Jason until they both burst into fits of giggles. He laces his fingers with Billy’s on instinct and Billy did not seem to complain. “Let’s be boyfriends!” Billy shouts after several moments passed.

“Agreed times infinity,” Jason answers, grinning wildly and happily. This was not how he predicted the night would end but he was glad it did.

The boys held hands, kissing more until Mrs. Cranston showed up fifteen minutes later to pick them up. They entered the van soaking wet and giggling, pressing close to each other for warmth. Though she was overflowing with joy that her son and Jason Scott had gotten much closer, she didn’t comment on it. She didn’t want a repeat of the earlier car ride.

“How was the party, boys?” She asked, peering at him through her rear view mirror.

“It was awful!” Billy said, giggling happily.

“Yeah, we’re never going to another one,” Jason said, smiling as widely as ever.

“I’m sorry to hear that…” She says with her eyebrows raised. If they had such a horrible time, why they were they smiling and snickering? “Then next time there’s a party, we’ll just have family and friends game night. Call over Zack and Trini and it’ll be a hit!” She suggested but the boys didn’t hear her. They couldn’t hear anything over the sound of their individual hearts beating.

 

A few streets away from the party Trini was walking home. The party was a bust. Zack was getting busy with some wrestler and she couldn’t find Billy after the Rebecca incident. At least she got some booze that night and managed to appropriate a few expensive toys. Now she was walking home in the rain because she knew she’d be drinking and didn’t want to drive back inebriated. “Hey!” She stops, looking over her shoulder to the car pulling up next to her. Inside Trini sees a very familiar, striking face peak out. It was Kimberly Ann Hart. “Need a ride?” the cheerleader asked.

“Sorry, my parents told me not to take rides from strangers,” Trini sassed and keeps on walking. Yes it was raining and she was cold, but she liked Kimberly way too much to survive a ride in a car alone with her. She would explode from all the pressure building within. Plus, she would just end up insulting the cheerleader and getting kicked out anyway.

Kimberly groaned and kept driving slowly beside her. “How are we strangers? You’re Dee Dee, right? You moved here a month ago and we have English together.”

Trini rolled her eyes and sped up her pace. “It’s Trini, I’ve lived in Angel Grove for a year now, and we have biology together. Good talk!” She yells back at the car, furious that Kim hadn’t even bothered to learn her name. Damn popular kids don’t even know their classmates.

“I’m sorry,Trini. Please just let me drive you home. I can’t let you keep walking in the rain,” Kimberly says with sincerity and warmth in her eyes.

Trini hesitates at first, but one look at Kimberly’s sincere eyes and she knows she can’t say no, so she climbs into the car.  “I just live a few blocks from here… I could have walked,” Trini sighed, in defiance of any notion that Kimberly was doing her a favor.

“Just shut up and take the free ride,” Kim sassed right back. “Just think of it as an apology for the laughing when Amanda sprayed you with water in the bathroom on the field trip.”

“I already forgot about it,” She lied. It has kept her up all that night. It pissed her off that she was crushing on some popular bitch that would laugh at her while she was being bullied.

Kimberly turns on soft music and hands her a half eaten box of donuts holes. “Want one?”

Trini eats a donut hole. They’re definitely stale and have been in her car for a while, but they still taste good. “So why are you going home so early? Party suck?” She asks, not knowing why she talking at all.

“Caught my fake best friend fucking my boyfriend,” Kimberly says nonchalantly, tossing another donut hole into her mouth.

“Oh ouch,” Trini grimaces. That does sound like a rough night, certainly rough than her night was.

“You?”

Trini huffs, and smirks over at Kim from the passenger seat. “I came to steal stuff from drunken people and get a little buzzed myself. I needed to leave before some losers finds out their 900 dollar Iphones are missing.”

A wicked glint flashed in Kimberly’s eyes. “So you’re the one who stole Ty’s new Iphone at the wrestling championships?”

“Maybe,” Trini said, still smiling devilishly.

“Nice,” Kim commends, unable to keep her eyes off this mysterious girl and onto the road.

 

 

When Mrs. Cranston arrives at the Scott house, she turns the ignition and looks expectantly at the two boys. They climb out and she and Billy walks Jason to the door for moral support after she finds out he had snuck out to go to the party against his dad’s wishes. She said was disappointed in him for sneaking out, not wanting to make Billy think such a thing is a smart idea, but she was still so happy her son had a special friend.

Jason rung the doorbell and within seconds his father opens the door, his face so red and scrunched up that Jason would’ve thought he ate a bowl of peppers if he didn’t know any better. His dad was steaming mad and about to explode. It was not how Jason wanted to spend the night. He did not want to have the same fight with his father that he always had when situations like this happen. So before his dad could open his mouth to shout at him, Jason yelled, “DAD, STOP AND LISTEN FOR ONE SECOND!”

Mr. Scott closed his mouth and stared at his son. Jason wasn’t sure why that worked. Maybe his dad learned a lesson from this switch too or maybe he just did it because Mrs. Cranston and Billy were standing behind him. Jason took a deep breath and exhaled his monologue. “Dad, I’m gay. I was sad and repressed and that’s why I’m angst ridden all the damn time and I hate my family. At lunch today Trini says hating your family and being withdrawn is practically ‘gay culture’  whatever that means…but I don’t hate you guys, not really anyway. I’m really sorry for the dangerous stunts I pulled. I know this didn’t justify my actions, but if I’m being honest, I only did those stuff to get the attention of this stupid, horny guy I liked. But that’s all going to end because I’m dating Billy Cranston now and _he’s perfect_. Yes, I would like to talk about it. No not now. I’m _very_ tired.”

“Okay, son…” Flabbergasted, Sam Scott allowed his son to walk inside the house. “We’ll talk about that in the morning,” he mumbles a little more to himself than Jason.

“Yeah, over Krispy Kreme donuts,” Jason says. He mentally promised he was going to sit down and have a proper heart to heart with his family tomorrow.

“Bye, Billy!”  Jason shouts as Billy and his mom walk to the van.

“Bye, Jason! I’ll text you!” Billy shouts back, smiling and waving as he enters.

“Send nudes!” Jason yells with a mischievous smile on his face. Billy was too far for him to hear, so Jason didn’t get to see his reaction. Lucky when he turned around, he saw his dad’s face red and his eyes wide. He looked like he was about to have a heart attack. He was not used to his gay son’s antics. “I’m kidding, dad,” he says to set the man’s nerves at ease.

 _Why would I need nudes when I’ve seen the real thing?_ Jason thinks to himself, smiling as he went to his room.

Inside the car, Mrs. Cranston pats her son’s head in the passenger seat and kisses his cheek. “Billy, I like Jason a lot. He’s good for you, but if you ever talk to me like that white boy just talked to his father, I won’t _hesitate_ ,” She threatens humorously.

 Billy chuckles. “I know, and I missed you so much!” He leans over and gives her a small squeeze.

“Alright sweetie,” She says patronizingly, confused as all hell. “I missed you too.”

 

 

Jason spent with his weekend with his family. Saturday morning the Scott family woke up at 10 am, picked up several boxes of donuts, some coffee for themselves and coco for Pearl, sat on Sam’s boat, and talked about their issues. For once, Jason opened up about everything; his sexual identities issues, his feelings of being a failure at anything that wasn’t football, and his inability to control his temper and _manic_ tendencies. His dad spoke about how he was scared Jason’s going to wind up permanently hurt or even dead pulling the stunts that he does and that he worried for Jason’s future. He could end up in and out of jail like he was when he was Jason’s age instead of ending up a football star or anything else that made him fulfilled and happy.

He accepted Jason’s sexuality but admitted he doesn’t understand a lot about being gay or raising a gay son, but he was willing to learn. He would read whatever materials he needed to or talk to whomever to make Jason feel accepted. It was wonderful. Even his mother joined in the discussion, adding she had been battling chronic depression for a few years now and refused to accept it. The three of them agreed to get family counseling and the parents would seek out couples counseling for the separate marital issues they were having. It was all just promises but was a start.

Over the weekend, Billy spent the entire time planning elaborate dinner dates for him and Jason to go on until eventually deciding their first date was going to be lunch in the school cafeteria. On Monday, Jason and Billy walked into the crowded lunch room together holding each other’s hands. It was a simple gesture but everyone seemed to have seen it and knew what it meant because the minute they came into view, everyone in the cafeteria began to whisper and gossip about their relationship, what had happened at the party Friday night, and even making conspiracy theories on how the two ended up together.

The two sat at a lunch table with Trini and Zack, each laughing and joking about the party and what they did that weekend. It was peaceful and felt right. Getting up from the popular kids table, Kimberly walked over to their table of misfits and sat down to everyone’s shock. Jason Scott and Kimberly Hart had both given up their crowns as King and Queen of the school just to date a couple of dorks. Looking over at Billy, organizing his French fries by height, Jason knew he had made the right decision.

Yeah, this was where he belonged.

Some things remained the same though. Jason and Billy still had very little in common and Trini was right about Jason Scott. The boy was pure trouble, but having seen the world through each other’s eyes, having lived as the other, it sure put of a lot of things into perspective for the two boys. Jason was fire, Billy was ice, and they needed each other in this great balancing act called life.

_Someone once told me_

_The grass is much greener_

_On the other side_

_And I paid a visit_

_(Well, it's possible I missed it)_

_It seemed different_

_Yet exactly the same_

_(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_

_'Til further notice_

_I'm in-between_

_From where I'm standing_

_My grass is green_

_Someone once told me_

_The grass is much greener_

_On the other side_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes, my laptop charge is busted and my laptop is currently dying. I needed to update on time. Thank for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> There are no orginal characters, just ascended extras. I promoted a few characters, gave them lines and backstory. You're welcome power rangers (2017)!.


End file.
